If your inbox is like mine, you have been flooded with emails in these first few days of the new year.  That’s not my intention.  I just want to leave you a suggestion and a preview of things to come.  Here are my suggestions for 2026:

• Keep Stable Ground

• Keep Moving

• Let Go of What Slows You Down

• Move Together When You Can

Let me expand on these suggestions.

Keep Your Stable Ground

Some of you are employed, and some are seeking.  Some of you have been seeking that next opportunity for a long time.  Maybe you’ve had upsets in 2025.  Many of us have.  I feel you. Maybe you are concerned about what upsets are to come.  Those thoughts probably will not help

Instead, you need to look at what sustains you and make sure you do that. It may be regular exercise, time with a special person, or some other activity that helps you reset and refresh.  Make sure you keep doing that — preferably daily.

Keep Moving

First of all, I mean this physically.  I’ve been in the habit of daily walks of usually 1-3 miles for the last 2 years.  I often go with my Chief Walking Officer, Laci.  However, she’s getting older and can’t walk as far.  So I will drop her off after the first mile and continue walking.  It’s my favorite time to listen to podcasts, which has become part of my “stable ground.”

I also suggest you keep moving in your career.  Make sure you are stretching your boundaries on how you work with others and strengthening relationships.  Yes, skill building remains important, and everyone is still trying to fathom what generative AI can really do for them.  But don’t forget what really matters: the people you interact with on a daily basis.

Let Go of What Slows You Down

Also, if you did an end-of-year reflection like me, you probably realized there were some things slowing you down.  It may have been habits or tasks that really were not that important, but you’ve fallen into a routine with them.  Maybe 2026 is the year to get rid of those. 

Perhaps it’s a mindset of who you should be or what you should be doing (Anyone still have the “I’m going to learn everything about generative AI” goal?)  Maybe 2026 is the year to hold those loosely and let those slip.

Perhaps it’s some of the people around you.  Do you find yourself in a constant battle or find yourself drained around certain people or situations?  Maybe 2026 is the time you reframe those interactions or just find a way to let go of those too.

Move Together When You Can

Now if you have accomplished those other steps, you might want to look at who is still with you on the journey.  Do they energize you?  Challenge you in helpful ways?  Do they support you when you no longer feel like being challenged?  Stay on that journey with them.  Make sure you dedicate time on your calendar for them.  Message them when you are thinking about them.

Note, I said nothing about resolutions or goals.  You probably have those already.  These suggestions will help you build support for reaching your goals and to get there together.

And if you need help with any of these, let me know.

Stay Human My Friends,

Mark

Footnotes:

I did promise a preview of things to come and here they are:

• If you want motivation to move together, find me on the Strava app.  I share my daily walks there.

• I’m also preparing some things where we can all move together in our work.  Stay tuned.

• Also, I wanted to share that our Chief Relaxation Officer, Dr. Rascal, has retired.  He’s assisted with many of these newsletters and other efforts in the home office.  He’s been a good friend and will be missed.