The Price of Inaction – From Fear to Self-Assurance in 2026

“The price of inaction is far greater than the cost of making a mistake.” – Meister Eckhart

“You are extra ordinary (no, the space is not a typo.”) – Unknown

Happy New Year to you all

I ordered two of those page-a-day desk calendars for 2026. The first is a Motivational calendar; the second, a Demotivational calendar. I figured it’d be nice to have the differing perspectives, or at least a good laugh, for my daily advice.

And what a fitting set of words for my return to this blog and the creative output I so desire! Too often we fear taking the next step. Or worse, we become overwhelmed when we think about all we have to do to bring something to fruition. What a wonderful, timely reminder that taking no action can ultimately make things worse.

Once again, it has been a while since I’ve blogged anything (last attempt at restart: here). And once again, I’m challenging myself to do better. Ha, I’d say life will have other ideas, but I’ve found it to be true that the things we prioritize are the things that mean the most to us. I also 100% agree with Eckhart’s quote (and often feel that 2nd quote). I sit here now, and I can think of many times when the price of my inaction made me feel worse than my mistakes or regrets. As usual, though, it’s not always this black and white.

There’s a Little Thing Called Fear

The fact is there are other things that prevent us from moving forward, including Fear. Most of my fears are completely stupid, though nonetheless just as paralyzing. For instance, I’ve been wanting to get back to this blog for months. I’ve been wanting to get back to being overall more creatively inclined again. But fear often stops me from moving forward. I fear all my post ideas are lame or that everything I could say has been said before…better even. I fear that I’ll paint and it will come out looking like it belongs in the reject pile of a Kindergarten’s finger painting contest.

But you know what I also realize? I paint like a Kindergartner because I don’t allow myself to paint if it means I’ll fail. The price of inaction at work. How am I supposed to get better if I don’t try at all? And if I don’t try at all, how can I learn from the masters, and ultimately break all of their rules?

This isn’t just about painting obviously, as it fits into a few different areas of life. But I’ve been working on myself for the past few years, and I can see the positive changes I’ve made too. I have boundaries now, for instance. That’s something that took me a long time to grasp, but I feel no less grateful for having finally figured it out. Is it challenging at times? Sure! Every situation is different and gives me a new opportunity to test it out. I’ve finally started to have some confidence in myself, though, and that’s something to celebrate!

A Challenge Awaits

On that note, I’m challenging myself to a blog project this year. I enjoy the topics of personal development and mental health, so that will be my main focus. I’m not calling it my New Year’s Resolution, but I’ve really been wanting to turn this blog into something, and I can’t do that without having real commitment. I want to embrace making mistakes with my art vs feeling the price of inaction.

Having experienced past trauma, and often struggled with overthinking to the point of paralysis, I believe this is a good direction for this blog. I’ve also come across a lot of resources along my journey that I’d love to share with you. These are resources that have helped me or have otherwise rang true in some way. There’s no one-size fits all fix, but maybe I can share something that will help you along your journey too.

For the past few years, I’ve been buying the same bottle of Champagne to toast the New Year. This year I thought it was time to go with an updated version. I chose a Cava (the Spanish version of champagne, since champagne can only be Champagne in France). It’s named, “Biutiful.” The winemaker suggests this is the way a Spaniard would say or read the word, “Beautiful.” I love this and find it fitting for 2026 and the life I’m striving to achieve. Who doesn’t want a beautiful life?

Are You Up For a Challenge?

I hesitate to ask about your New Year’s Resolutions, as I find setting resolutions has lost some meaning. I’ve read that researchers suggest only about 20% of people keep their resolutions, often giving up by the end of January. Maybe that’s something to investigate in the future.

I’d like to ask you instead how you plan to challenge yourself this year. Posing a resolution as a challenge makes it feel more authentic somehow, like you can fail but still get back up and keep on trucking. So drop me a comment or email, and let’s make those mistakes!