For a long time, I thought a slower life would arrive once I did enough, achieved enough, or figured enough things out. What I’ve come to understand is that slowness isn’t something you reach.
It’s something you remove obstacles from.
The older I get, the more I see that the quality of my life is determined less by ambition and more by alignment. Not how much I can do, but how much unnecessary noise I can let go of.
As I look toward 2026, I’m not interested in resolutions that demand more effort. I’m interested in goals that reduce friction. Ones that naturally support a slower, steadier, simpler, and more silent way of living.
Here’s how I’m thinking about it.
1. Work
Resolution: Do less work, more deliberately.
Work is one of the biggest sources of hidden noise. Not because work is bad, but because unfinished work lingers in the mind long after the day ends.
My five work intentions for 2026 are simple:
- Work on fewer projects at any one time
- Finish and release what I start
- Spend more time creating than administrating
- Build systems that don’t rely on constant attention
- End each week with something completed, not just progressed
This aligns with a slower life because it replaces urgency with rhythm. When work has clear boundaries and visible endings, the mind can rest. A steady life doesn’t require constant output. It requires trust that things will be done in time.
2. Health
Resolution: Treat my body as an ally, not a problem to manage.
A rushed life often shows up first in the body. Poor sleep. Low energy. A background hum of fatigue that feels normal because it’s familiar.
My health goals for 2026 aren’t extreme:
- Move my body most days, gently and consistently
- Protect sleep as non-negotiable infrastructure
- Eat in a way that supports energy rather than spikes it
- Reduce stress instead of “pushing through” it
- Notice early signs of exhaustion and respond sooner
This supports a steady and simple life because the body stops demanding attention. When health is stable, everything else gets quieter. You don’t need motivation when your nervous system feels safe.
3. Family and Friends
Resolution: Be present, not impressive.
Busyness is often socially rewarded, but it’s relationally expensive. A slower life means choosing depth over availability everywhere.
In 2026, I want to:
- Prioritise a small circle of meaningful relationships
- Be fully present when I’m with people
- Schedule regular, unrushed time with those who matter
- Listen without needing to fix or advise
- Say no to social obligations that feel performative
This aligns with simplicity because relationships stop feeling like another task to manage. Silence grows naturally when you’re not constantly explaining yourself or apologising for being distracted.
4. Finances
Resolution: Create calm money, not clever money.
Financial stress is one of the loudest forms of internal noise. Even when money is coming in, uncertainty keeps the mind spinning.
My financial intentions for 2026 are:
- Know exactly where money comes from and where it goes
- Favour stable income over constant chasing
- Build and maintain a safety buffer
- Review finances regularly instead of avoiding them
- Make decisions that reduce anxiety rather than maximise potential
A simple life needs predictable foundations. When money feels clear and contained, it stops hijacking attention. Silence returns when survival no longer feels up for negotiation.
5. Spiritual
Resolution: Practice awareness rather than search for answers.
My spiritual life isn’t about belief, doctrine, or arriving at some ideal version of myself. It’s grounded in a secular Zen approach that values direct experience, attention, and acceptance over theory.
In 2026, my spiritual intentions look like this:
- Sit in quiet stillness regularly, even when it feels uneventful
- Practice mindfulness in ordinary moments, not just formal practice
- Notice thoughts and emotions without immediately reacting to them
- Let go of the need to fix, resolve, or explain everything
- Cultivate compassion through how I respond to myself and others
This supports a slow, steady, simple, and silent life because it removes the pressure to be somewhere else.
Zen practice reminds me that life doesn’t need constant interpretation. When I stop adding mental commentary, silence naturally appears. When I meet experience as it is, steadiness follows. When I stop chasing insight, clarity tends to arrive on its own.
How It All Comes Together
Each of these categories supports the same outcome: less internal noise.
- Finished work quiets the mind
- A rested body reduces urgency
- Deep relationships remove social friction
- Financial clarity calms the background hum
- Spiritual practice trains attention and softens resistance
A slow, steady, simple, silent life isn’t built through withdrawal. It’s built through alignment. When fewer things are pulling at you, life naturally slows. When priorities are clear, simplicity follows. When nothing inside is shouting for attention, silence appears on its own.
That’s what I’m aiming for in 2026. Not perfection. Not mastery. Just a life that feels inhabitable.
And that, these days, feels like more than enough.
What is your 2026 going to look and feel like?
Peace,
Corey 🙂