Aligned in the New Year! Did you start your Instagram purge yet?

And Happy 2026!

Hi there,

Happy New Year! I don’t do resolutions (they’ve never worked for me), but I do like setting intentions. And this year’s is refreshingly simple: I’m done abandoning myself. I’m moving toward what feels true and away from anything that requires shape-shifting or shrinking.

Now, that’s easier said than done, especially for people of color, who often have to shape-shift just to stay safe, respected, or employed. Livelihoods are very much at stake. And while I’ve enjoyed enormous privilege, I could easily write a book about what it means to move through certain spaces as an Asian woman in the Hamptons. It could go full celebrity tabloid or straight-up comedy horror, it’s been that wild. But I digress.

Back to the point: the search for “our people” and “our place” is lifelong and constantly evolving, and the plot twist remains the same. We don’t find either by contorting ourselves into something more palatable. We find them by showing up as who we are, when and where we can. Which means understanding that rejection is often just redirection in disguise, and that editing our lives is just as important as adding to them: releasing relationships we’ve outgrown, stepping back from spaces that make us feel inadequate, and saying no without apologies.

The same goes for our screen time. Did you start that purge yet? Who is worth your time and scroll? I’m now actively reassessing who I follow, who I listen to, and what energy I allow to sneak into my nervous system through my phone.

Yes, I will continue to watch an unreasonable number of videos featuring funny dogs and miniature Highland cows (my closest friends get daily DMs), and will try to limit my follows to the ones informing, educating, inspiring, or just minding their business, being their kind selves.

Balm, not poison is my filter. This may sound trite, but editing my feed is an act of self-respect.

So my hope for all of us in 2026 is this: that by choosing what feels aligned and honest, we cultivate relationships with friends, family, partners, and collaborators that are life-enhancing, supportive, and strengthening for everyone involved.

Cheers to the best year yet. What a time to be alive and aligned!

Sending you love, great health, and prosperity. 🥂

Patricia