The quiet skill I’m prioritizing going into 2026

Read time: 1.5 minutes

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately as I’ve entered a new season of life.

And I have a feeling this might resonate with you, too—especially if life has felt a little fuller lately, without you quite knowing why.

Becoming a dad to two boys hasn’t dramatically changed what I value.

But it’s changed how clearly I can see what competes for my attention.

What surprised me wasn’t how full life became.

It was how many things quietly assumed access.

This is why I believe one of the most important skills to prioritize moving into a new year isn’t motivation or discipline.

It’s discernment—learning to notice what’s quietly been given open-door access to your life.

Because access is powerful.

Whatever has access shapes:

• how you think
• how you feel
• how you spend your energy
• how present you are with the people you care about

And here’s the part most of us miss:

Once something has access, it rarely asks to stay.

That’s why I’ve been practicing a simple rule lately—not perfectly, but intentionally:

Nothing gets ongoing access to my life without a conscious yes.

Not a default yes.

Not a guilt-based yes.

Not a yes based on who I used to be.

A present-tense yes.

I’ve found this question surprisingly clarifying:

“If this didn’t already have access to me… would I invite it in today?”

That question changes how I relate to my thoughts. My work. My commitments. Even some long-standing expectations.

And it doesn’t require drastic action.

Sometimes clarity returns not by adding something new—but by quietly closing a door that’s been left open for too long.

As 2026 approaches, you don’t need a complete reset.

You don’t need to overhaul your entire life.

You just need to pay attention to access.

Because clarity isn’t something you find once and hope to keep.

It’s something you maintain—by choosing what gets to stay.