The new year is not asking you to become someone new.

It’s not demanding a fresh personality.
It’s not grading your progress.
It’s not waiting to see if you get it right this time.

But anxiety makes it feel like it is.

For many people, this time of year does not feel hopeful.
It feels exposed.

Like everything unfinished suddenly counts.

Why This Feels So Intense

Anxiety struggles with transitions.

Anything that marks time moving forward can trigger pressure.
New years. Birthdays. New semesters.

Your brain does not see a clean slate.
It sees comparison.

Where you thought you would be.
Where others seem to be.
What you think you should have figured out by now.

This is why motivation feels harder instead of easier right now.

A Pause Before You Plan

Before you think about goals, systems, or optimization, there is something more grounding to do first.

Write a letter.

Not to the future version of you.
To the past version of you.

Write to yourself from this past year.

Acknowledge what you carried.
Name what you survived quietly.
Recognize what changed you.

You do not need perfect words.
You need honesty.

This helps your nervous system close the loop.

Anxiety keeps things open-ended.
Unfinished.
Undefined.

Letter writing gives your brain a sense of completion.

A Practical Prompt

If you want structure, try this.

Start with:
“This year asked more of me than I expected.”

Then answer:
• What was harder than I anticipated?
• What did I handle better than I thought I would?
• What did I learn about myself?
• What am I proud of, even if no one saw it?

This is not about gratitude.
It is about grounding.

When your brain remembers truth, the future feels less threatening.

Why This Matters For the Year Ahead

Planning feels overwhelming when your past feels unresolved.

Your nervous system cannot move forward calmly if it still feels like it is catching up.

Closing the year emotionally makes space for clarity.

Not pressure.
Not urgency.

Just clarity.

Where The Episode Comes In

In this week’s episode, I talk about why traditional planning often makes anxiety worse and what to do instead.

If long-term goals shut you down or make you spiral, this episode will help you rethink how you approach the year without overwhelming your nervous system.

Episode 44: Why Traditional Planning Makes Anxiety Worse (2026 Reset)

Just a Reminder

You do not owe anyone proof this year.

You do not need to rush into becoming.
You are allowed to arrive slowly.

Progress is not loud.
It is steady.

And sometimes the most powerful reset is simply acknowledging how far you have already come.

With you in this,
Jessica
Mindset Coach for Anxious Teens & Young Adults

P.S. If you want help building your confidence or figuring out where to begin, book a 1:1 Confidence Coaching. I work with teens, young adults, and adults, and together we’ll map out a clear path forward.

Related Listening

• Struggling with confidence and second-guessing yourself more than usual.

• Feeling pressure from family dynamics, comments, or expectations.

• Feeling behind as the year ends and comparing your timeline to everyone else’s.

• Finding yourself shrinking or holding back to avoid judgment.

• When anxiety shows up suddenly and you do not understand why.