Welcome 2026! Looking Back Before Moving Forward: A Year of Executive Functioning & Career Direction

Welcome, January 2026! There’s something about the start of a new year that naturally helps us reset. When something feels new, like a new week, a new month, or especially a new year, it signals to us to try something different. It feels like permission to begin again.

This is the kind of energy I love to sit with as an executive functioning coach. It is that moment of pause where it feels possible to think about what might come next.

Before jumping into new goals, though, I always like to look back. As I’ve done in past New Year’s reflections, I take time to notice what was actually accomplished through executive functioning coaching over the past year. It’s a meaningful way to see how clients moved forward and the systems that helped create and support that momentum.

Over the past year, clients worked hard to build systems that supported real, everyday life. Calendaring and task management systems were developed and refined so responsibilities could live somewhere reliable instead of staying in someone’s head, which takes up a lot of mental energy. Long-term goals became more manageable once they were broken into smaller, clearer steps. Projects that once felt overwhelming started to feel manageable when broken into achievable pieces.

Clients were also navigating full and complex lives. There were career changes and periods of career rebuilding, medical challenges, and growing families, including welcoming new babies. Some clients were managing more than one role or career at the same time. Throughout it all, the focus stayed on reducing overwhelm and creating systems that could accommodate real-life challenges.

New behaviors were tried, sometimes cautiously (and even suspiciously) at first. Online calendars and task management tools became trusted supports. Morning and evening routines were created, tested, and adjusted so transitions like sleep and beginning the day felt more supported. Exercise routines were started and sustained with flexibility and joy rather than pressure and blame. Meal planning and grocery routines were simplified to free up evening hours.

This past year also included important career assessment work. For many clients, this brought clarity around career direction and helped them find language to describe how they think and work. Seeing their abilities clearly laid out helped them make sense of past experiences and explore paths that align more naturally with who they are rather than forcing themselves into roles that do not fit (or even no longer fit).

Looking back on the year, what stands out most to me is that these systems and shifts had a real impact on people’s lives. They created more ease, more clarity, and more room for what matters. I enjoy reviewing progress with my clients because that is when the rewards of this work are most evident. The data tells the story of their effort and just how far they have come.

As this new year begins, I feel ready for what comes next. There is more to do, more to explore, and more people to support. This work matters, and I’m grateful to continue doing it.