Hey Reader,
Happy New Year.
Wishing you a prosperous and abundant year ahead.
The week between Christmas and New Year’s always feels strange to me.
Routines soften. Time bends. And then, almost overnight, life starts asking us to show up again.
This past week is what my friend Ciara Pressler from Pregame calls Zamboni Week — a pause where the ice gets smoothed, the chaos settles, and we clear what needs clearing before the game really begins again.
I love that framing. It captures something real about this in-between stretch when society seems to exhale all at once.
For me, this week wasn’t about starting 2026 early.
It was a palate cleanser — clearing the ice, catching my breath, and letting things settle before Monday, January 5th, when the year truly begins.
So instead of rushing ahead, here are three things that helped me reset and step back in with intention.
Here are 3 things I’m reflecting on as I lean into that truth:tent here...
Palate Cleanser #1
Build something just because...
I’ve loved LEGO my entire life.
This weekend, I’m putting together a Star Wars LEGO set I got for Christmas: no agenda, no productivity angle, no outcome beyond enjoying the process.
There’s something grounding about following instructions, snapping pieces together, and letting your hands stay busy while your mind rests.
Not everything has to move the needle.
Some things are allowed to simply make life feel good.
When everything is about output, we forget how restorative simple focus can be.
Try this:
Pick one activity this week that has no upside other than enjoyment.
Do it slowly. Stop when you’re done — not when it’s “useful.”
Palate Cleanser #2
Saying YES to Nature!
On New Year’s Day, Erica and I went hiking with a friend of hers,
Keith, who’s currently off chemo and loves being outdoors.
It snowed that morning.
I’m not a winter hiker — but the timing felt right.
We bundled up (too much, as it turned out), brought spikes (thankfully), and made our way up the mountain. It was cold at the top, the view was beautiful, and the walk back down — icy patches and all — felt earned.
Comfort and meaning don’t always arrive together.
Being there mattered more than doing it perfectly.
That felt like a meaningful way to begin the year.
Try this:
Say yes to one thing this week that isn’t perfectly timed or convenient, but feels right.
Let presence be the win.
Palate Cleanser #3
Closing the season with intention (and wings)
This weekend, we’re having a wing-off to officially close out the New York Giants season.
It’s something we’ve talked about doing for a while.
Sunday felt like the right moment.
We’ll rate wings, compare notes, and Zamboni the year... so we can move on, look ahead with fresh perspective, and anticipate the hiring of a new head coach.
Closure doesn’t have to be serious to have impact.
Sometimes naming “this is over” — with a little ceremony — frees up more energy than pushing ahead without pause.
Try this:
Choose one thing from last year and intentionally close it.
It can be playful. It can be small. It just needs to be named.
A Final Thought:
Clearing the path
Zamboni Week isn’t a time for big declarations or bold resolutions.
It’s a time for:
- clearing the ice
- finishing the clean-up
- closing an open loop
- reading a book
- taking time for yourself
So that when Monday arrives, you’re stepping forward — not dragging last year with you.
As 2026 begins, I hope you make space not just for plans, but for enjoyment, connection,
and the small moments that remind you why you’re doing any of this in the first place.
Here’s to a steady, well-entered year ahead.
Until next time,
Kevin
Kevin Urban
The Possible-ist™ | From Setbacks to Comebacks
[Website] | [Linked In] | [YouTube]
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