#3: I failed the new year already - and I'm ok with it
Why January isn’t the time to reinvent yourself and how to embrace the season of rest
I’m writing this from a coffee shop in a small surfer town in New Zealand. Picture locals walking around barefoot, bohemian shops with vinyl music playing, and backpackers ordering flat whites.
It's the kind of place that feels like time moves slower, which is ironic because I feel like I haven’t even caught up to 2025 yet.
I’d love to tell you I rang in the new year with fireworks and champagne, but the truth is, jet lag had other plans. I was fast asleep before midnight, and when I woke up the next morning, it felt like any other day. No “new year, new me” energy. Just... me, wondering where the nearest coffee was.
Since then, I’ve been soaking up the sun and trying to unplug, but it’s made me realise something: this whole “new year” thing hasn’t hit yet. I didn’t write a list of resolutions or map out my year ahead. And honestly? I’m okay with that.
There’s so much pressure to reinvent ourselves every January.
It’s like the clock strikes midnight, and suddenly, we’re supposed to have this life-altering epiphany about who we want to be. New goals! New intentions! New planner!
You can’t plan your whole year in January. Life doesn’t work like that. The unexpected always shows up—good, bad, or somewhere in between. Plus, January feels like the absolute wrong time to be ambitious. It’s cold (well, not here in New Zealand, but you get my point), it’s dark, and all I want to do is hibernate.
Winter is literally the season of rest. Nature knows this. Bears know this. Why don’t we?
Before the Industrial Revolution turned every month into hustle season, people used to live by the rhythms of nature. Spring was for planting, summer was for growth, fall was for harvest, and winter was for slowing down, conserving energy, and waiting.
Nothing bloomed in the winter—not plants, not ideas, not people. It was a season to pause, not push.
So, if you’re feeling sluggish, uninspired, or just plain over it this January, you’re not broken. You’re just human. Maybe your body and mind are aligning with nature, and nature is saying, “Take a nap. The big stuff can wait.”
The spring equinox in March marks the real shift. Days will finally outlast nights. The world will come back to life, and with it, so will we. That’s when you might feel that burst of clarity, energy, and motivation to make moves.
So this January, I’m keeping it simple. I’m making a vision board because it feels fun and low-pressure, but that’s it. No grand plans, no resolutions. Just me, resting and dreaming and waiting for spring to bring the next wave of energy.
Let this be your permission slip to take January slow. To let yourself rest. To listen to your body and match the season you’re in.
When the thaw comes, you’ll know. The ideas will start to flow, the motivation will pick up, and suddenly, it’ll feel natural to move forward. Until then, let’s give ourselves a break. After all, winter isn’t forever—but neither is this precious chance to slow down and just be.
Cheers to naps, vision boards, and starting when we’re ready.
Book I read in NZ📚
I packed three books for my trip and for the first time ever, it was the perfect amount.
First, there was 10 Minutes, 38 Seconds in This Strange World by Elif Shafak. A beautiful story about friendship, makes me want to travel to crazy, messy, magical Istanbul. Descriptive narration done right - great emotional storytelling and creative writing.
Then, there was Doppelganger by Naomi Klein. Klein explores how she’s repeatedly mistaken for Naomi Wolf, who has transitioned from a feminist writer to a conspiracy theorist. The book dives into technology, capitalism and identity, exploring life on the internet and how we curate versions of ourselves online. Even though the book goes into how technology fuels polarisation in society, Klein’s wit and humour made it an unexpectedly enjoyable read!
Lastly, I read Mameleben by Michel Bergmann, which takes a deep, personal look at the author’s complicated relationship with his mother and her death. The book also highlighted the lasting affects of the Holocaust within Jewish families, showing just how deeply its aftermath continues to shape lives and relationships.
I’d recommend all three of these books! 🫶
Things I’m loving - holiday edition 🏝️
This metallic Baggu tote bag, so practical for a beach day and looks cool
Always Sunday washbag in large - this wash bag is HUGE, waterproof and looks cute + it’s a small business
My youswim bathing suit, love her so much - sustainable swimwear made in England (*this was gifted to me)
I slather myself in SPF 50 every holiday, and while I don’t exactly end up with a tan, I do make the subtle transition from ghost to human—progress, right? 😂 I wear SPF on my face every day in London, and on holiday, gotta stay safe out here!
Packed very little makeup, mostly using my Nars concealer and Merit’s day glow stick in Solstice, a bronzer and highlighter hybrid
Packing cubes—no particular brand, but they’ve truly changed the way I travel. As someone who usually has luggage that looks like a clothes explosion just happened, these little lifesavers help me keep everything contained. I no longer need to play Tetris just to close my suitcase. 😅
* btw these are not affiliate links cause I haven’t figured out how to do that lol
Things I’m consuming (or trying not to) 👀
While I’ve been making an effort to really unplug during this holiday and be fully present, I’ve been steering clear of overloading myself with too much media (living in the moment and all of that).
That being said, as we’re in New Zealand (and obviously visiting Hobbiton), my boyfriend convinced me to listen to a What Went Wrong podcast episode about The Lord of the Rings movies (three parts, to be exact!).
If you’re unfamiliar, What Went Wrong dives into Hollywood’s most notorious movie productions, revealing the chaos behind some of the biggest successes and flops. It was actually surprisingly fascinating to learn about the behind-the-scenes madness of filming Lord of the Rings in New Zealand.