My Self-Care Resolutions and a Christmas Reminder for You

December arrives with its usual blend of rush and celebration. Christmas has always been my favorite festive season — a time filled with joy, gratefulness, and peace. The lights come on, the year winds down, and everywhere we turn, there’s a sense of warmth and accomplishment.

But if I’m honest, this season also reminds me of something quieter: “How much of myself I’ve neglected? and how much I want to rebuild gently?”

This year, I shared two reflections on my platforms. “3 Resolutions I’ve Made in 2025 to Love Myself More” & “My New Year Resolutions for 2026”. They came from a deeply personal place.

Not performance. Not pressure. Just honesty.

Today, as the festive season settles in, I want to bring those reflections here. I hope to offer you a window into my own self-care journey. I also wish to nudge you to start shaping yours too.

Why I Started Setting Self-Care Resolutions (Not Just New Year Goals)

Two years ago, around this time, life delivered a hard and unexpected lesson.

My stepdad passed away suddenly from a heart condition — no warning, no time to prepare. At the same time, my biological dad was undergoing colon surgery, facing a long road of medication and monitoring ahead.

Losing one while trying to save the other broke something open in me. It made life feel painfully unpredictable. It made me realize that someone can leave this world without a single sign. Illness can strike before you ever get to enjoy the fruits of your hard work.

That season of grief and fear became a quiet calling. By the end of 2024, I made a decision many didn’t understand…

In 2025, I walked away from my corporate job…to find peace, to heal. To reconnect with the part of me I kept abandoning for work, responsibility, and expectations.

And in that process, I realized something else. While I always set goals for work, finances, and productivity…I rarely set any goals for my well-being. If I did, they were always vague:

Be healthier… Be calmer… Have more balance...

But moving through 2025 taught me that love for self isn’t a feeling — it’s a practice. And like any practice, it needs intention, clarity, and commitment.

So I created three simple, grounding resolutions:

But the life I want to build won’t arrive unless I choose it consciously. These became the foundation of my 2025 journey. Small, steady choices that carried me through the year with more calm than before.

And now, with a new year ahead, I’m carrying them forward, differently, but with the same intention…

My Resolutions for 2026 — A Continuation, Not a Reinvention

As shared in my recent post, 2026 will be a significant transition for me. I am returning to the corporate world. But I’m not going back as the same version of myself.

“These aren’t resolutions for achievement. They’re resolutions for sustainability. A way of living that doesn’t abandon me.”

The Festive Season Isn’t Just for Celebration. It’s Also a Season for Realignment

December can easily become a blur of gatherings, shopping, and countdowns. But beneath all that noise, it can also be a gentle invitation:

Pause… Reflect… Reset…

Do not wait any longer.

Life will never slow down on its own. Your well-being deserves attention now — not later.

Thank you for being here, for reading, reflecting, and growing with me. Your presence means more than you know.

Wishing you and your family a peaceful Christmas. May it be meaningful and quietly beautiful. May the new year bring you closer to the version of yourself you’ve longed to meet!

With Warmth, @theElementofCalm

Here are 10 life lessons I’ve learned the hard way. They’re helping me change into a softer version of myself. I am becoming more grounded.

3. Take Promises With a Pinch of Salt

People mean well, but life gets in the way. I’ve learned not to take every promise to heart — and not to tie my peace to someone else’s follow-through. Even I, at times, have broken promises unintentionally. Holding expectations loosely helps me stay grounded when life (and people) fall short.

4. Letting Go is an Act of Love – for Myself

I used to hold tightly to people, routines, even outcomes. Whenever I couldn’t stick to my usual routine, I felt unsettled. The thought that things weren’t going as planned agitated me. But now, I remind myself to breathe. It’s okay to adjust. Routines are meant to support me, not control me. Letting go isn’t about giving up — it’s about creating space for something better. By releasing what no longer serves me, I honor my growth, my healing, and my future.

6. I Can’t Pour from an Empty Cup

I used to give endlessly — showing up even when I didn’t have the energy. Saying yes to things I didn’t want, staying late at work, trying to be “the reliable one.” I’ve learned that caring for myself doesn’t make me selfish — it makes me sustainable. Now I fill my own cup first, without guilt.

7. Rest is Not a Reward

For the longest time, I believed I had to earn rest. I’d feel guilty for feeling tired or for falling sick. But now I understand — rest isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity. I no longer wait for permission to pause. I allow myself to rest because I deserve it.

Maybe some of these lessons resonate with you. Maybe you’re still in the middle of learning them, like I was — and still am. That’s okay. The truth is, we’re all figuring it out. You don’t have to rush the process or have it all together.

I hope you take away one important thing. You are allowed to grow slowly. You are allowed to change.

Let your life unfold gently — one lesson, one deep breath, one soft choice at a time.

What’s one life lesson you’ve learned the hard way? Feel free to share it in the comments below. Your story might encourage someone else. Until then, take care and be kind to yourself.

Additional downloads for your easy Reading

Along with the PDF version of this article, I’ve included 3 downloads – each one explores a selected life lesson we recently shared on social media in more depth :

If you’d like more calm reflections in gentle, bite-sized form, you’re welcome to join me on TikTok and Instagram. There, I share simple reminders and practices for slowing down and ways to reconnect yourself. 🌱

I was walking along a busy street one day when a stranger stopped me and asked, “Are you happy?” Without thinking too much, I smiled and replied, “Yes.”

But then he asked again, “What makes you happy?”

That question caught me off guard. I paused for a few seconds, trying to come up with an answer. Strangely, I couldn’t. My mind went blank. It was as if I had been so used to saying “I’m fine” or “I’m happy” that I had never truly stopped to examine what happiness meant for me.

Since that moment, the question has lingered in my mind. What does happiness really mean to me? Is it about financial stability — having enough savings to feel secure? Is it about doing things I love — creating, writing, sharing, traveling, and feeling alive in the process? Or is it about making others happy, being the reliable person everyone can lean on?

The truth is, many of us spend our lives chasing standards that society sets for us. A good career, a stable home, a picture-perfect family, or a well-defined life path. But in the middle of all that, how often do we stop to ask ourselves: Am I truly living for me? Or am I living to fulfill others’ expectations?

Happiness is not a checklist. It is not something we “arrive at” once we have enough money, the right partner, or the perfect circumstances. It is something more fluid, personal, and deeply connected to the choices we make every day.

For me, this unexpected encounter became a mirror. It forced me to reflect:

• Have I been honest with myself about what I want in life?
• Am I creating space to pursue the things that genuinely bring me joy?
• Or am I postponing my happiness until “someday” when everything looks perfect?

Perhaps happiness is not about having all the answers. Perhaps it’s about asking the right questions and being brave enough to live the answers, even if they lead us away from the familiar.

So I’m starting to redefine happiness, not as a vague word I nod to politely, but as a practice — choosing what nourishes me, letting go of what drains me, and giving myself permission to pursue joy without guilt.

And maybe the real question isn’t “Are you happy?” but rather “What are you willing to do today to live closer to your happiness?”

What is your thought? Share your reflection in the comments. Take care and be happy!

Are You in Stress Mode Without Realizing It?

5 Gentle Prompts to Help You Pause and Check In

Have you ever found yourself running on autopilot? Then you realize you haven’t truly relaxed in days. It might even have been weeks.

Stress doesn’t always announce itself loudly. Sometimes, it shows up quietly in our bodies, moods, and behaviors. These five gentle prompts might assist you in checking-in with yourself. They are especially helpful on days when life feels a little too loud.

Stress often hides in the background, subtly affecting how we feel, think, and respond.

These five journal prompts are gentle starting points to reconnect with your inner world. By checking in regularly, you create a compassionate habit of noticing what your mind and body truly need.

Make this a part of your weekly self-care ritual. Take time to reflect, breathe, and honour your need for rest. The more you practice, the more natural calm becomes.

Originally shared as a social post by @theElementofCalm. Adapted for deeper reflection here on the blog.

Disclaimer:
The reflections and prompts shared in this post are intended for general wellness and self-awareness. They are not a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing ongoing stress, please reach out to a qualified healthcare provider. Consider contacting a mental health professional for additional support.