My 2026 Power Move
Just because I can give more doesn’t mean I will
I’m not one for New Year’s resolutions and I’m (sadly) not even one for romanticizing January (although I am truly inspired by the concept1). I am however, big on regular reflection and self-assessment, and it just so happens that some recent reflecting and assessing has coincided with a new year.
Something I learned a few years ago is that just because you can give more doesn’t mean you should give more. As a very Type A human, I come back to this more often than I’d like to admit and as I kick off 2026, well… I’m back here again.
Generally speaking, I land in this space about work more so than real life. For whatever reason, I can fully recognize my personal limits and know when to say no or lean on others or quite frankly when to just let some adulting slide 🤣 But with work? NOPE.
A therapist once gave me this analogy: you have ten apples. Someone pays you for two. Do you give them two, or all ten?
I have a lot of energy that I could give to my job, but my team and my job description only ask for (read: pays me for) a portion of that. Do I give my job what it asks of me or everything I have?
This is where I tend toward burnout. Not because more is required from me, but because I offer it anyway without clear benefit to anyone. And choosing not to do that? Well my friends, I’m choosing to believe that this is quite the power move.
As I begin 2026, I’m giving my job what it asks of me (and maybe a tiny bit more because I can’t entirely shake the Type A) and I’m going to do it damn well. With the energy I keep for myself, I’m skipping rigid resolutions and trying a few things without metrics, pressure, or expectations:
more mid-day outside time
more yoga
more writing
more work from coffee shop mornings
Or at least… that’s what I’ll try for this week 😉
