As we step into 2026, a radical proposal is gaining traction: this should be the year you consciously spend more time doing what you truly want. Instead of fixating on endless self-betterment, the path to genuine contentment may lie in dedicating more of our finite hours to activities that make us feel vibrantly alive.
The Flawed Logic of Constant Self-Improvement
The conventional approach to habit change is built on a premise of deficiency. It starts from the idea that something is fundamentally wrong with you and prescribes a regimen of disciplined daily behaviours to fix it. This framework, as psychotherapist Bruce Tift observes, can become a comfortable excuse. "Claiming that we are problematic means we don't have to engage with our lives fully, because we aren't 'ready yet'," he notes. The internal struggle to 'fix' yourself can ironically prevent you from launching into the life you actually desire.
Consider the common battle with screen time. Many have tried app blockers and strict rules—modern versions of Odysseus being bound to the mast—with limited long-term success. A more effective strategy, exemplified by tools like the Brick device, leverages inertia; if regaining access requires physical effort, the lure of distraction often loses. However, an even more reliable method is simply to be so engaged in an offline activity that the thought of your phone never arises.
Replacing Bans with Engaging Alternatives
This principle extends far beyond digital detox. Rather than banning certain foods, could you discover a healthier style of cooking you genuinely enjoy? Instead of forcing yourself through a dreaded workout, are there forms of movement you naturally love and might do more often? The key is to focus on addition, not restriction.
Author Katherine Martinko, writing about children and screens, advocates a similar approach for adults. "My advice is to fight [internet dependency] less with fleeting hacks... and more with an overwhelming love and appreciation for being present, active, and engaged with the real world," she argues in her book Childhood Unplugged. The aim is to let a 'terrifying longing' for a passionate interest crowd out trivial distractions.
Why Your Busyness Isn't a Valid Objection
A major objection is the perceived lack of bandwidth. Yet, as finite beings in a world of infinite demands, you will always have too much to do. Waiting until your to-do list is manageable means waiting forever. Crucially, overwhelm is often less about quantity and more about a lack of agency. Introducing a project you genuinely want to do can paradoxically reduce that feeling by restoring a sense of choice and self-efficacy.
Fears that prioritising pleasure leads to sloth or social irresponsibility also reveal a curiously low self-opinion. Is it not possible that what you truly enjoy includes feeling healthy, connecting deeply with others, and contributing to the world? The celebrated marshmallow experiment taught us the value of deferred gratification. But life offers no prize for accumulating a thousand uneaten marshmallows. At some point, you must allow yourself to taste one.
The most fundamental consideration is this: if life isn't for doing more of what makes you feel alive, what is it for? This moment, amidst the busyness and headlines, is the real life you are meant to be living. It's not merely a prelude to a better future. As a paraphrase of the words of theologian Howard Thurman reminds us: "Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." In 2026, the most profound resolution may be to finally take that advice.
