If you implement any lifestyle change in the new year, let it be walking meditation. 30 minutes in the morning, ideally in nature. No headphones.
Pay attention to your feet meeting the earth, the crisp wind brushing your cheeks, and the whispers of the world around you.
Mental knots loosen. Tension releases. Thought clutter dissipates with each step.
By the end, you are left with a beautiful stillness and a clarity you can carry into the rest of the day.
2026 will be the year of analog. The beginning of a full shift towards a phone-free lifestyle: no social media, chess/reading/snail mail, iPods/dumb phone, irl events, brain health, being present, choosing inconvenience and slow living. For some, it’s only a new aesthetic to strive for (clean girl is out, analog girl is in), a sort of status symbol. For others, it becomes a way of life; a quiet rebellion against ai in an effort to regain control of our attention and autonomy.
One thing i love sharing is what i have learned/am learning on my journey towards creating a heart-led business (both business + personal), especially if this helps any other women out there who are just starting out or are curious about following an alternate life path. Ask me anything!
I quit my big 4 accounting job 1 year ago to build my first bootstrapped business with no plan or prior business experience
I’ve sold >3k books this year.
I am no longer working my life away on someone else’s terms; I built something that works.
And better yet, I realized a dream that is actively improving lives. I created something meaningful, something living and breathing with a heart and soul.
I genuinely love what I do every single day; the stress and rough patches feel minuscule compared to the amount of satisfaction and joy my work brings me.
When you take risks, follow your intuition, submit to the unknown, and take action, despite fear, life will reward you in unimaginable ways.
being a solo founder lowkey sucks. my daily routine used to be working at coffee shops or boring coworking spaces & not speaking to a soul all day. I really thought I had to get used to the lonely road, until I was in a position to build out a team.
but that all changed once I joined SLAM, a community of people going after their dreams. for the past 8 weeks, I’ve been working alongside others who were also crazy enough to quit their jobs and create their own path. Though we are not working on the same things (there are animators, filmmakers, artists, app builders, etc.), we are bonded over the relentless pursuit of our dreams.
I find myself supported by their presence. I look over to my right and see a filmmaker creating a beautiful movie documenting her father’s bird cage business. To the left of me, an animator who is making it as a full time artist. And all around me is evidence that I am not alone on my journey.
This community has been a saving grace for me, and I encourage any other solo founder or dream chaser to apply to Sprint 3. Because you don't have to do it all alone when places like SLAM exist in the world.
SPRINT 3 applications are now open: 10 weeks to go all-in on your dreams.
Applying and participating is 100% free. Start date Jan 6 in SF.
Last SPRINT, we had people fly here from all over the world to come here and give their dreams a shot.
Are you ready to take the leap?
One year ago, I quit my corporate accounting job & embarked on a long, yet fulfilling journey of creating Mindful Sudoku. This year was a whirlwind: I found my footing as a first-time founder, working every day to improve the Mindful Sudoku experience. I made mistakes, and grew stronger from them. I reached new heights I didn’t think I was capable of achieving. Every day, I am challenged to look more deeply within myself. In the face of uncertainty, loneliness, failure, frustration, anxiety, & all of the hardships that come with being a bootstrapped solo founder, my mindfulness practice continues to ground & guide me. There is nothing else I would rather be doing than sharing Mindful Sudoku with the world. Thank you to anyone who has supported me & believed in my vision.
Here’s to many more years of Mindful Sudoku!🎂