Your 2026 Starter Kit ✨

Hi Mamas - 

HAPPY NEW YEAR 🥳🍾📅

If the internet is already shouting new goals, new habits, new systems, let this be your gentle reminder: you don’t need to become someone else, nor someone new, just because the calendar flipped.

This year doesn’t need a total overhaul in week one. It can begin with intention instead of pressure, care instead of comparison, and small rhythms that help you stay grounded in who you already are.

Before we rush ahead, let’s pause and start here—making sure we are good.

Here’s to a wonderful new year and whatever version of yourself you’re growing into in 2025 2026. How long do you think it’ll take us to get that right?

Finally, since it’s the first newsletter of the month, don’t miss our January Must Reads at the bottom. Enjoy!

-Paula (Founder, CARRY™ Media)

 This week in The CARRY™ ALL, we’re talking about:

• ✔️ The “Future You Will Thank You” List

• 📝 A Tool for the Life You’re Actually Living

•  ⏱️ Self-Care in Seconds

THE BIG 1️⃣ 2️⃣ 3️⃣

1️⃣ ✔️ The “Future You Will Thank You” List

With the new year comes a quiet wave of responsibilities that tend to land on moms first. Before everything ramps up, here are a few practical things worth tending to now—so the transition into 2026 feels smoother, not heavier.

Think of this as supportive guidance, not another list you have to conquer.

• Review insurance policy documents and update your information with providers if anything has changed. (Future you will be grateful.)

• Start planning for summer camp. We wish this wasn’t a January thing—but many camps open enrollment early and fill quickly. Even a quick note of deadlines helps.

• Stock up on deeply discounted holiday items like wrapping paper and bows while they’re still marked down.

• Change smoke and carbon monoxide detector batteries. A five-minute task that brings real peace of mind.

• Begin gathering 2025 tax information so you’re not scrambling when April arrives.

• Simplify your expenses. Take a quick look at what’s coming in and what’s going out. Awareness is often the biggest first step.

• Declutter for a fresh start. One room. One closet. One drawer. That’s it.

A gentle reminder: you don’t need to do all of this today—or even this week. If you pick just one small thing to tackle, you’re already moving the needle.

2️⃣   📝 A Tool for the Life You’re Actually Living

Still looking for a 2026 planner? The Simplified Planner by Emily Ley is one of our favorite tools. It’s designed for real, everyday life while helping you stay organized around what matters most.

BONUS: Use code PLAN2026 at checkout for 26% off!

3️⃣  ⏱️ Self-Care in Seconds

We loved Camille Walker’s take on self‑care this year — especially her emphasis on micro moments that actually fit into a busy mom’s life. In 2026, we’re officially saying goodbye to the all‑or‑nothing mentality. Let’s look for micro wins in our work, at home, and especially in how we take care of ourselves.

Try one today: stretch for 60 seconds when you wake up, try a new at-home coffee recipe that feels like a daily luxury, prioritize a lunch break, or have a go-to playlist ready for an instant boost. Your well-being matters, even in the smallest doses.

📚 Click here to grab a copy of these reads. Read anything lately that you can’t stop talking about? We’d love to hear it! Just hit reply to this email or drop it in the comments at the bottom of the newsletter. Your rec might be exactly what another mom needs!

📰 IN THE NEWS

👉 If You’ve Never Done It, You’ve Probably Thought About It…

A UK doctor was recently suspended for five months after admitting she booked fake late‑day appointments so she could leave work in time to pick up her children from childcare. The case has sparked widespread debate online, with many working parents defending her and using the situation to highlight how inflexible workplace expectations make balancing careers and family life incredibly stressful for moms everywhere.

📰 Read more here.

BEEN THERE, DONE THAT 🤎
for the mom who appreciates honest conversations about real life

This month on The Paula Faris Show, Paula is highlighting her top episodes from 2025. From teens and tech to perimenopause and midlife, these are must-listens you won’t want to miss!

🎧 Live each week here!

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