Spring is the perfect time to rethink things and decide what the next few months of my life will look like. I love the ritual of setting a quarterly goal and creating a vision board to manifest good things for myself, and recently I decided to add an ins and outs list to that ritual. I was first introduced to the idea on TikTok. It’s a fun way to filter what I want to invite into my life and what I’m letting go of.
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Here’s the energy I’m bringing with me in 2026.
2016 Vibes
At the start of 2026, I noticed that my feed was filled with 2016 throwbacks, and apparently, Spotify reported that user-generated playlists themed around that year have jumped by nearly 800% since January 1st. 2016 nostalgia is strong right now, and I’m honestly not mad about it.
Part of why people miss it is that social media and life in general felt lighter then. There wasn’t as much pressure to be perfect, and definitely less AI slop flooding your feed. So this year, I’m bringing back that energy. I want to post without overthinking, romanticize random moments, and just let things be a little messy and fun again.
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Authenticity Over Aesthetics
The idea of always being perfectly curated and lowkey impressive is exhausting for me. This year, authenticity is in. This means doing things because I genuinely enjoy them, not because they’ll look good online or someone in real life will perceive me as cool. At the end of the day, there’s no audience watching my every move.
Body Positivity
Social media affects our body image, and not in a good way. It’s so easy to compare yourself to the “perfect” bodies you see online and feel like you’re not enough. I’ve definitely been there – picking apart photos of myself, wishing I looked different.
In 2026, I’m welcoming body positivity. While I’m not going to wake up one day and suddenly love everything about my body, I can try to be kinder to myself. As long as I take care of my body, I’m already beautiful in my own way.
More Queer Art, Movies, and TV
2025 really delivered when it came to queer stories. We got What It Feels Like For A Girl, Heated Rivalry, and The Hunting Wives. That energy needs to continue into 2026. There’s already so much I’m excited for, like Love Letters and The Little Sister.
Since queer art is so important for social acceptance and dismantling harmful stereotypes, I’m going to explore more art outside of movies and TV as well. My plan is to support more queer artists in my town by attending exhibitions and buying prints when I can.
Book Clubs, Run Clubs, and Actual Community
As much as I love scrolling and chatting to my friends through social media, I also yearn for community in real life, and it seems like I’m not alone. According to Strava’s 2024 Year in Sport report, there’s been a 59% rise in running club participation globally. The main reason people join is to connect socially.
I’ve also noticed that book clubs are becoming more popular among girls my age. So this year, joining these social clubs and community events is definitely on my “in” list.
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Buying Less
Buying less stuff and mindful shopping in general is so in this year. Research shows that social media contributes to overconsumption and consumerism. I experienced it firsthand.
While I love a good haul video as much as anyone else, I can’t lie that my favorite influencers have led me to buy things I absolutely didn’t need. It’s so easy, too, since shopping only requires a few taps on your phone these days. That’s why in 2026, I want to move away from that “buy everything now” mindset.
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Outs: What I’m Leaving Behind
My “outs” are the things and habits I’m finally ready to let go of.
Dating Apps
Apparently, almost one in four teenagers is using dating apps. That includes me, but I’m uninstalling these apps from my phone. Just like how I want more community, I also want to meet people in a more traditional, offline way.
Maybe it’ll push me out of my comfort zone and help me get over my shyness. I also learned that dating apps don’t always teach us how to build healthy relationships. So for now, I’m saying goodbye to them.
Peer Pressure
The FOMO is real when you see people around you having fun. I’ve caught myself doing things, or at least thinking about doing them, just because my friends are. A lot of my friends have started vaping, for example.
It sounds fun in theory, and I’ve had friends say it tastes nice, but realizing that it can have serious side effects and lead to respiratory issues has helped me stay away from it and fight the temptation. Luckily, more organizations are looking into how vaping affects your health, so we might get more information that will cut down on the pressure to participate.
Other things I almost give in to because of peer pressure include participating in risky social media trends or harmful pranks just because it seems cool. So, 2026 is the year I say “no,” even when everyone else is saying “yes.”
Doomscrolling
The whole analog trend on social media has really made me reflect on how much time I spend on my phone. Last year, my screen time was close to six hours a day, which is a significant portion of my waking hours. A lot of that time is just mindless scrolling because I crave the dopamine hit.
Since doomscrolling can leave us feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and helpless, it’s in my “outs” list this year. I’m not going to delete social media forever. However, I want to do more offline hobbies like journaling, crocheting, hiking, and baking.
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Wanting to Grow Up Too Fast
There’s this constant feeling that I’m behind, like I should already be further along than I am. I’m starting to question that. Why am I rushing through this phase of my life?
Why does it feel like being young is something I need to get through as quickly as possible? I don’t want to feel like that anymore. I’m working on being more present where I am this year.
Carrying What Feels Right
That’s it for my ins and outs. I’m not going to use it as a set of rules, but more like a reminder of what feels right for me right now. If you’re going to create your own list, remember to have fun with it and include things that will truly help you be better this year.
