The 2026 Check In: What Do You Actually Want Your Life To Feel Like?

Speaker 1: I'm Melanie [music] Bar. Welcome back to the Sheila Tip podcast, your go-to place to empower you to live the life and business that you crave. [music] I'm here to talk about everything from having the courage to make life and career leaps to [music] the details of how to lead effectively, create successful teams, implement strategies for growth, and infuse tech innovation. [music] I'm here to celebrate your wins and navigate through your challenges. I live in the city now, but I grew up in a town of a thousand people. I've navigated major life leaps, a senior level corporate career, worked in professional sports, and now as a successful entrepreneur who loves business, technology, family, and making meaningful connections with you and the She Built It Community. I also love a good workout and dose of self-care. [music] Magic happens when we focus on the part of ourselves and our business that brings us [music] joy. So, turn up the audio, open your favorite notes app, grab your favorite drink, and [music] here we go. I want to start with something that I've never fully shared on the show, even though it's been a part of every single episode for the last six years. As a listener, you know the question I always ask at the end. What do you do each day to make sure that you are finding and living your joy? My guests sometimes look at me with a pause or a blank stare before answering. And the pause is exactly why I ask it, because I've lived that pause. There's a season when I was taking care of my family, growing my business, doing work that I truly enjoyed, and still forgetting to do the small things that brought me joy. Not because I didn't want them, but because life was full, and I assumed joy would wait for me until everything else slowed down. But here's what I've learned and what I've seen in every leader who has sat across from me. Magic happens when you stay connected to the part of yourself and your work that brings you joy. Your decisions get clearer. Your energy lasts longer. you stop building a life you have to manage and start building a life that you can actually enjoy. So today's episode is a quiet reset, a moment for you to hear your own thoughts again and ask yourself the important question. What do you want your life to feel like in 2026? Not the goals, not the metrics, not the public wins. Your life, the part between the meetings, the lunches, the travel, and the leadership decisions. the part that's yours. I'm going to walk you through a few questions. Just listen for now. You can come back with your notes app later. Question one, how do I want to feel in 2026? Not what you want to accomplish, how you want your year to feel in your body. Maybe steady, focused, spacious, peaceful, energized, clear, connected. Choose three and they will become your compass. What do I want to protect? When life speeds up, the unprotected things disappear first. What are you not willing to lose as you grow? Your health, your marriage or partnership, time with your kids, friendships that keep you grounded, your creativity, your quiet time, your rest, your sense of purpose. Take notes of what you intend to protect. Protection almost always requires calm, non-negotiable boundaries. Question three, what am I tolerating now that drains me? This one takes honesty, but it's powerful. Is it a commitment that you've outgrown? A client or project that no longer fits? A schedule with no margins? A habit that leaves you mentally tired? Constant availability to everyone? A leadership pattern that you keep hoping will fix itself? You don't have to solve it today. Naming it is the first step towards taking your energy back. Question four, what does personal success look like for me now? Not 5 years ago, not in your early career. Right now, maybe personal success looks like ending most days with enough energy to enjoy your life. Being present for the people you love, taking real time off without guilt, investing in your health, more creativity and less rushing, building something sustainable, not frantic. As you think through it, say it in plain language, the way you would tell a friend. Question five, what is one small practice that would quietly change your year? Not 10 goals, one practice, a small shift that supports a bigger life, a weekly walk without your phone, a hard stop time for work, one night a week where you choose rest, therapy or a coaching session, quiet mornings, a 5-minute gratitude rhythm, a monthly dinner with friends. Small practices create meaningful change when you stay consistent. So, here's your next step. Put a one-hour meeting on your calendar this week and title it 2026 check-in. Bring these questions, answer them slowly, and circle the one change that you feel is the most important. Then, choose one shift in how you work and one shift in how you reset or connect. You are building a business, but you are also building a life. And those two things are meant to support each other, not compete. You are allowed to want both and you are allowed to build in 2026. Give yourself the permission to want both. And you are allowed to build a 2026 that feels the way you want it to feel. [music] Thank you for joining us today. I'd love to hear from you. Reach out to me at hello@ shebuiltit.com on our shebuiltit website or at [music] sheiluiltit on social. Thank you to my editor, Rich Duffelino, who always makes us sound good. Until next [music] time, let nothing stop you from experiencing the life and business that you crave. [music]