2025 was such a breakthrough year for me—I traveled a lot, published a paper, became a graduate ambassador, and even won an academic award. So I came into 2026 wanting to carry that same energy forward… but honestly, the start of the year didn’t feel like a breakthrough at all. Even though it’s January, I’ve been feeling groggy, lazy, and stuck in that slow holiday mood (plus I got sick after traveling). In this video, I share the reset routine I’m using to pull myself out of the fog—because I realized I can’t just wait for motivation to magically come back. My reset starts with the basics: waking up early, eating breakfast before work (bagels with avocado and eggs, plus rose white tea), and being more intentional about my health after learning I have high bad cholesterol. Then, once I’m in the office, I protect my most valuable asset: my focus. I’m committing to one hour of deep focus work every day—no phone, no tabs, no music—plus reading for pleasure to stop doom scrolling, staying active as my non-negotiable stress relief, and keeping up with chores so my space doesn’t stress me out. I also talk about my four big 2026 goals as a 4th-year PhD candidate: publish another paper, make real dissertation progress, network more (even as an introvert), and finally get out of my 3K subscriber plateau by uploading consistently and embracing the cringe.