Why Your New Year Doesn’t Start on January 1st (And Why That is Okay)
- Tosca DiMatteo
- Jan 13
- 3 min read
It’s January. The holidays are over. The emails are flooding back into the inbox. The LinkedIn feed is full of people announcing their "big goals" and "massive action" plans for 2026.
And you?
You might be feeling exhausted. You might be feeling a little foggy. You might be feeling like you’re already behind, even though the year has barely started.
If that resonates with you, I want you to take a deep breath and listen closely: You are not broken. You are just at low tide.
In this week’s episode of The UNLOCK Lab (which is our first-ever video episode!), I am dismantling the biggest myth about the New Year. It’s the myth that January 1st is a magical light switch that automatically flips our internal energy from "rest" to "run."
The Myth of the Light Switch
We live in a world that loves linear progress. We love spreadsheets, quarterly goals, and 5-year plans. But humans are not linear. We are cyclical. We are part of nature.
Think about the ocean. The tide does not go from low to high in a second. It’s a transition. It is a slow, powerful build.
For years, I beat myself up because I didn't feel that burst of "New Year" energy in January. My Inner Critic would get loud. It would tell me I was lazy or uninspired.
It took a lot of introspection to realize that my personal "New Year" energy doesn't usually arrive until the Spring Equinox in March. January, for me, is still winter. It’s a time for hibernation and reflection. It’s low tide.
If you’re trying to force "high tide" performance while your body and spirit are at "low tide," you’re not leading. You're wearing a mask at the expense of your authenticity.
4 Steps to Start the Year Well (Not Just Fast)
So, if we aren't sprinting out of the gates, what should we be doing? How do we honor our ambition without dishonoring our authenticity and what it is to be human?
Here’s the framework I share in the episode:
1. Honor Where You Are: Stop should-ing on yourself. If you’re tired, admit it. If you’re confused, admit it. The first step in Human Skills leadership is self-awareness. You cannot navigate to a new destination if you don't honestly acknowledge your starting point - as well as that of your colleagues.
2. Seek Closure Before Clarity: This is the step most people skip. We want to grab the new shiny goals, but we are still dragging the baggage from 2025 behind us. Closure might look like:
Finally finishing those financial reports (I am doing this right now!).
Having that difficult conversation you avoided in December.
Forgiving yourself for what didn't get done last year. You have to close the door on the past before you can fully open the door to the future in new energy.
3. Find Grounding in Stillness: We often try to find answers in the noise. We ask mentors, we read books, we doom-scroll. But the answers for your life and your leadership are not out there. They are in here (your heart). I wish for you a start to the year that comes from the stillness of your heart, not the busyness of your mind. Carve out space where there is no agenda. That is where the truth lives.
4. Grab a Compass, Not a Map: Rigid plans often fail because life is unpredictable. Instead of a detailed map, find a compass. This might be a "Word of the Year." (I am currently sitting with the word "Worthy"). It might be a feeling you want to chase. A compass gives you direction, but it allows you the freedom to navigate the obstacles that will inevitably appear.
A New Chapter (On Video!)
This conversation is so close to my heart because there is one thing that is in a new chapter now!
The UNLOCK Lab is now available on video! You can now watch the full conversation, see the nuance, and connect with the energy of the show in a new way.
Remember: The calendar does not dictate your energy. You do.
If you’re at low tide, rest there. The water will come back in. It always does.
P.S. If your Inner Critic is already screaming that you aren't doing enough this year, grab my Inner Critic Toolkit. It is time to separate the lies from the truth so you can lead with freedom. Link to Toolkit
