2026 is going to be great

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Welcome to 2026 wonderful people! A new year awaits us, and I have a big, bold prediction: it’s going to be great! I can say this confidently because, with all my heart, I will be manifesting glittery good vibes for all of us.

2025 was a tough year for the world, so perhaps I was a little too excited to see the end of it. I decided after I published my last post of the year (Ba-bye 2025!) that I wouldn’t wait for the new year to start level-upping my life.

Here’s some of the things that I put in place in anticipation for a great 2026, all built around the central idea that “nothing will change if you change nothing“:

+ I made a mood-board filled with inspirational people and quotes as well as images that radiated with the positivity that I am aiming for this year.

+ I created a list of people that I admired and chose a couple as my imaginary mentors to give me imaginary motivational advice.

+ I started to whisper affirmations that aligned with my mood-board, mentors’ mentality and my vision of who I wanted to grow into this year.

+ I sought out meditations online (to do daily) which included manifestations for growth and success.

+ I began to mentally farewell the old version of myself, thank her for getting me so far in life and celebrating her wins, whilst also acknowledging that some of her old habits were holding me back on my healing journey.

Now, at the risk of revealing too much (whilst leaning into my new mantra of “be fearless”), here’s a sneak peek at a few of the images I collated on my mood-board (green and gold appear to be my 2026-colors and suns, stars, glitter and glow were recurring themes):

a montage of green and gold images which include quotes like "radiate love" and "I feel my magic" as well as pictures of Frida and Lagertha and two women, one holding a sword and one meditating with the words "you can be both" overlayed

[Image sources: manifesting, office, grounded, be both, radiate love, age beautifully, stay connected, attitude, Viking vibes, Frida, Lagertha, magic, I am]

*

[For a little context – I’ve been struggling over the last three years due to chronic migraine, but I have ALSO been having something of an existential crisis about whether to be a “migraine warrior” or adopt the more peaceful metaphor of a “healer-gardener” (read more here) – finding an image that acknowledged one person can adopt BOTH approaches was a revelation (I’m slow like that (even though I’m a Gemini!?)) – and the notion of being simultaneously gentle and strong / relaxed and intentional / as well as a wise learner, is going to be foundational for how I move forward in 2026.]

FYI – the eclectic list of kick@$$ women that I admire (“feel the fear and speak your truth anyway”), included real people and fictional characters, such as the artist Frida Kahlo (who graphically managed her pain), Gaea (Greek goddess of the Earth (who arose out of chaos)), Taylor Swift & Madonna (singers who reinvent themselves through new eras), Margret Chola (the Zambian ‘glamma’ grandma on Instagram), Mulan (legendary Chinese warrior who harnessed her Qi), Camila Franks (Australian kaftan designer and breast cancer survivor), and the Viking shield maiden Lagertha (a farmer who became a fighter).

Lastly, here’s a brief summary of the sorts of quotes I turned into manifestations, mantras, and desktop reminders: “all you need is less”, “grateful for everything that made me love myself more”, “I’m not here to be understood – I just want to be authentic”, “let your soul glow”, “I don’t hide my age – I decorate it”, “forest = for rest”, “the only thing you can take from me is notes”, “breathing in I heal my mind, breathing out I heal my body”, “don’t look back – you’re not going that way”, “write until you surprise yourself”, “underestimate me – that will be fun”, “actually life is beautiful and I have time” and “fck it – I’m in”.

The point is, rather than have a typical New Year’s Resolution – I wanted a New Year’s Revelation – I wanted to hit the ground with a radiating sense of purpose: a lighter, brighter, stronger me.

And it’s paid off already.

The day after Christmas, I was driving on the freeway to the family farm when the flat tire signal on my dashboard started flashing. That’s no biggie for most people, but for migraine-prone me, being curbside on a public holiday, with a boot full of bags, on a hot summer’s day, would usually trigger my “domino thinking” (where my mind invents a line of escalating catastrophes that crash my nervous system and potentially start a migraine).

This time – I looked at the flashing light and said, “what would Lagertha do?” Now, I know Vikings didn’t have cars, but since Lagertha can handle anything (including time travel), I knew she wouldn’t panic, she’d slow down and pull over, inspect the tires, and since there was no obvious damage, she would drive the 15 minutes to the next service station, and assess the situation then.

So, that’s what I did. I still couldn’t see anything wrong, but I knew Lagertha would be proactive, so I pumped up all the tires (although the pressure gauge was iffy so I just eyeballed what looked like a good lift off the ground) and then, (rightly or wrongly) I kept driving. Since the flashing light didn’t go out, I pulled into the next town to re-check the tires, and still not seeing a problem, I drove on to the farm.

It took a little over 24 hours, but a rear tire eventually started to visibly deflate. So, I called in some help, got the hole plugged and asked my mate to help me check the tire pressure of the other 3 tires, just in case. Um. Yeah. It turns out Lagertha was a bit trigger-happy with the air-pump and had overinflated two of the tires (one of them to nearly double the recommended PSI / kPa (it could have blown-out if I’d hit a pothole (which there are plenty of near the farm))).

Anyway – this is a long story, but it has a short moral – everything worked out fine – sh!t happened but no one got hurt – and because I stayed calm, there was NO migraine.

So for the next couple of days, I felt victorious and congratulated myself for my new attitude. Then one morning, right towards the end of the year, I decided to pull a Viking Rune from my bag (read more here) and asked if channeling Lagertha-vibes made sense as a New Year’s Revelation. I pulled out “Jera” which stands for ‘harvest & fertility’. It is (coincidentally?) often associated with the end of December, represents the passage of a full year’s cycle, and highlights themes of growth, encouragement, deliverance and patience – nice. Oh. And in case you’re feeling a little woo-woo (I’m leaning into more magical thinking this year and no longer ignoring the signs)… have a look at the symbol itself:

a picture of runes with the JERA sign that is made of two capital Ls facing each other

You might not see it – but I do: two ‘Ls’ one for Linda and one for Lagertha or else a L and a V for “Lagertha-Vibes”!

I’m choosing to believe that manifesting works – deep down, “repeat after me”, an inner voice that says “I got this” / “I am perfect”, over and over, will get you through today, tomorrow, the whole year… onwards and upwards you’ll build momentum, shape your soul (and perhaps every cell in your body), as you magnetically align your actions with your intentions.

To wrap up this first post of the year, I want to invite you to take a moment to celebrate the year that was and thank yourself for all that you did and achieved / survived / created / learnt in 2025 – yay you – you rock!

And then – step up into 2026 – be bold – create a big vision for yourself for the year ahead. Name it, visualize it, pin it up, look at it often, generate a musical play list to suit, create an imaginary mentor, make a mood-board. Then share your ideas with a special someone (it reinforces your motivation and gains support).

YOU ARE PERFECT

YOU ARE POWERFUL

2026 IS GOING TO BE GREAT

HEALING IS POSSIBLE

YOU GOT THIS

Whatever your New Year’s Revelation, have the most amazing 2026 my friends, there’s lots of great posts coming up that I’ve been working on, with a mixture of soul-searching, book reviews, science-dives, short stories, mindfulness activities and reminders to keep it real and get some rest.

Take care taking care, authentically and radiantly,

Linda xox


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77 responses to “2026 is going to be great”

  1. […] But… I do want to imagine a newer version of me that is relatively self-sufficient, able to stay calm under pressure and capable of walking a decent distance if my car breaks down in the bush on the way to the family farm (I’m looking at you flat tire!). […]

  2. moragnoffke Avatar

    May you have a wonderful year of meaningful growth. Your post says it all. Brilliant 🌈👌✨

    1. The Mindful Migraine Blog Avatar

      Thank you! Looking forward to spending more time with you all!💝

      1. moragnoffke Avatar

        ❤️💟🌈

  3. swadharma9 Avatar

    your collage is wonderfully chosen & gloriously manifested!👍🏼🥰🚀 i love it! it’s so expressive, takes me on a journey😎💃🏻😎

    1. The Mindful Migraine Blog Avatar

      Yay! Here’s to a journey throughout 2026 that takes us both to the best places possible! Buckle-up! 🙂

  4. dgkaye Avatar

    Hi Linda. I loved this post. Full of so much optimism! I too am a Gemini, but one who is always on the move, lol. And I was delighted to see my heroine, Frida, on your collage board. I collect everything Frida! Yes to empowering women, and manifesting does work! And yay to no migraines! Happy 2026. 🧡

    1. The Mindful Migraine Blog Avatar

      🥰 I love it when likeminded people cross paths – so glad that two Frida-loving Gemini’s are going to manifest our way through 2026 together – I’ll think of you when I pop on my Frida-inspired silver & bead earrings! (and yes – “more joy” is a mantra for this year – for all of us!)

      1. dgkaye Avatar

        Oh those earrings sounds lovely! I’ll be heading to Frida’s homeland in a few weeks again. Can’t wait! 🙂

        1. The Mindful Migraine Blog Avatar

          WOW! Lucky you – enjoy every moment of the sunshine, culture, food, color, art… and and!!

          1. dgkaye Avatar

            Oh I will. I go every winter for years. I have a separate life there, lol. 😋

            1. The Mindful Migraine Blog Avatar

              How fabulous – I will bask in your borrowed glow!! xox

              1. dgkaye Avatar

                Thank you. 💜💜

                1. The Mindful Migraine Blog Avatar

                  💝

  5. The Oceanside Animals Avatar


    Lulu: “”Welcome back! We sure hope 2026 goes this way!”

    1. The Mindful Migraine Blog Avatar

      Thanks Lulu! Send my love to the whole team and know that I’m not mucking around this year – it’s “positive vibes only” all the way through…!! (13 days down and only 352 days to go!!) 🤣

  6. cz09 Avatar

    Happy new year and bless to your family and your loved one’s. A quote for you :
    “Going on means going far, going far means returning”
    (Tao Te Ching)

    1. The Mindful Migraine Blog Avatar

      Ohhhh…. I love it! (I instantly got the image of a giant loop in my mind – so good – thank you for this special gift!) 💜

  7. richardbist Avatar

    It seems like you’re facing the new year head on with courage and a plan in place. That’s wonderful! I love the idea of ‘virtual mentors’ and the example you gave with the tire. That’s how we should all be facing our problems…not in panic mode, riddled with anxiety, but calm and rationally. That mindset change can improve so many lives.

    Thank you for the inspiration, Linda. Hope you have a fantastic day.

    1. The Mindful Migraine Blog Avatar

      oh thank you! You’re one of my ‘virtual mentors’ – I still try to be more “Richardesque” when I get drawn into the doom loop of international news and remember to turn to the local news instead! So perhaps in 2026 I’ll be spending more time channeling positivity by also asking myself “what would Richard do?” when the news is on TV! 🙂

      1. richardbist Avatar

        That’s incredibly kind of you, Linda. Looks like we both inspire each other because I learn so much from your posts and try to apply things you write about to my life. Thank you, my friend. 🙂

        1. The Mindful Migraine Blog Avatar

          🥰

  8. Girish Mani Avatar

    That’s great and I somehow feel that fellow person is going to be happy. You seem to have a set of goals or targets or aims (whatever you call it) and then I believe you are working towards it(sorry if I’m wrong), if Yes, then how did you find the goal(s) and fixed in your brain and body, so that you can get the motivation to achieve it.

    You see the part where we have “ingrain” the goal into our mind is causing me great anguish…..it seems like my mind has so many things and I’m in chaotic state😅 , sorry for this ranting…..I needed some tips….

    1. Girish Mani Avatar

      typo correction “That’s great and I somehow feel happy that fellow person is & going to be happy.”

    2. The Mindful Migraine Blog Avatar

      No problem at all! For the last couple of years I set myself a goal of “less pain” but that (accidentally) concentrated all my efforts on the idea of “pain” – for example, I was always on the lookout for what would trigger a migraine so that I could avoid it; but as a result I was fixating on potential problems and my life was getting smaller all the time.

      Now I’m more careful to focus on a positive goal such as “more joy” which encourages me to look at all the good things in my life, notice them, be grateful, celebrate the wins, keep turning towards the things that make me happy, and then, as I become more content with my life – life gets better, and so does my health.

      “more joy” led to “less pain”.

      So, in a similar way, instead of being “anti-war” be “pro-peace” … or instead of wanting to “get out of debt” say “this year will be abundant” … or if you want to be “less lonely” think “I am loved” and then start walking around the house with your chin up and shoulders back, because heck-yeah – you are loved!

      Does that make sense?

      My suggestion would be to write out all the things you want – prioritize them, and then once you have a feel for what the top one-to-three items are, see if you can put a positive spin on all of them, and then see if you can create an image in your mind that includes all of them (for example – it’s weird but it works – take the three ideas about (peace, prosperity and love) and visualize something like a golden dove that dispenses love hearts wherever it goes… imagine it sitting on your shoulder radiating warmth and goodwill, flying ahead of you into a crowded room, sitting on the shoulders of those you wish to befriend… talk to it, ask it advice, name it…)

      But first – start with all the things you most want, and decide which ones REALLY matter… sometimes you might have a version of it already!

      Best wishes for the year ahead and let me know how you go! 🙂

      1. Girish Mani Avatar

        The part “more joy” led to “less pain” – i understood this way back….. My only problem was I’m not about to “set” my goal… What do I really want…? No idea …. As you said, I’ll try to list things and give it a try …. Thank you very much 😁🙏

        1. The Mindful Migraine Blog Avatar

          My absolute pleasure! 🌞

  9. SAYOR BASELENOUS Avatar

    This was such a grounding and uplifting read. I love the idea of a New Year’s Revelation rather than a resolution—it feels kinder, wiser, and far more sustainable. The way you stayed calm through the tire episode (and avoided a migraine!) really shows how powerful mindset and self-trust can be. Wishing you a gentle, strong, and glowing 2026 ✨🫶🫶🫶

    1. The Mindful Migraine Blog Avatar

      Hooray! I’m so glad to see you again – I really appreciate the kindness you bring to this community! Here’s hoping 2026 is gently-glowing-goodness for all of us!! 🌟

  10. justrojie Avatar

    Happy New Year!!

  11. Liz Avatar


    Happy New Year.


    I love your mood board. And I like the idea of an invisible mentor.

    1. The Mindful Migraine Blog Avatar

      Thanks! I’m sure they’d be surprised to know how heavily I was leaning on them! 😂 happy new year to you too my friend 😘

  12. Johnbritto Kurusumuthu Avatar

    This is such a comforting and inspiring read. I love how you balance optimism with realism — not pretending life (or migraine) will be easy, but choosing intention, kindness, and mindset as tools. The idea of letting go of an old version of yourself while honouring what it taught you really resonated with me. Thank you for sharing this hopeful perspective — it genuinely makes 2026 feel possible and bright.🙌🌷

    1. The Mindful Migraine Blog Avatar

      I’m thrilled to welcome you back! I really am super optimistic about what this year holds, and am so glad you’re here to share it with me! 🌸

      1. Johnbritto Kurusumuthu Avatar

        🤝🎉🌷

  13. John Avatar


    I love the positivity you radiate, Linda! Keep that going all year. I didn’t know that Australians also call the “trunk” a Boot as the British do. My Buick has a short boot and bonnet! I’m glad that you made it to your destination without a flat tire or it blowing out! The Sender in the wheel obviously works well. Tires/tiyers aren’t cheep… Happy January!

    1. The Mindful Migraine Blog Avatar

      Yay! 🥳 I’m so happy to have you here! As for the tires – they cost a lot here too so I’m glad the plug will give me a few more months – my positivity can only defy gravity so much 😂

      1. John Avatar

        No, your positivity has no end! 👍🏻 Tire, eh?

        1. The Mindful Migraine Blog Avatar

          🤣

  14. surlycakes Avatar

    “the only thing you can take from me is notes” I need that on a t-shirt!

    1. The Mindful Migraine Blog Avatar

      😂I love it too – it made me snort my coffee the first time I read it and I have been chucking ever since ♥️

  15. Michael Williams Avatar

    hi Linda! hope 2026 is off to a good start for you! Mike

    1. The Mindful Migraine Blog Avatar

      Hellooooo!! So far so good – 😊 all the best for you too, looking forward to reading about what you get up to!

  16. KikiFikar Avatar

    So happy to sign in and see your message! Happy New Year! ❤️

    1. The Mindful Migraine Blog Avatar

      YAY! So happy to share your company again (I always think of Lavern and Shirley when I see you here and it makes me smile!!!)

      1. KikiFikar Avatar

        Now I’m smiling! 😁😁😁

        1. The Mindful Migraine Blog Avatar

          🥰

  17. Willie Torres Jr. Avatar
    Willie Torres Jr.

    This is powerful and inspiring, Linda. I love the intention, the courage, and the calm strength you are choosing. Gentle and strong together is a beautiful way to step into 2026.

    1. The Mindful Migraine Blog Avatar

      I agree – I’m super excited to see how it goes – thank you for being part of my journey – you’re an amazing support and I can’t thank you enough! L 🙂

      1. Willie Torres Jr. Avatar
        Willie Torres Jr.


        Thank you for letting me be a part of this journey with you…


        God Bless You….

        1. The Mindful Migraine Blog Avatar

          👏🤩👏
          (my pleasure!)

  18. Gail Perry Avatar

    Oops…the control you’re having over your migraines. Your positivity is infectious! (too many !!, I know, but I can’t help being enthusiastic and excited about this transformation). I will be coming back this post regularly for inspiration. I also hope to restart my own blog, so I will need to remain positive. Thank you.

    1. The Mindful Migraine Blog Avatar

      Yipee! Let me know when you’re up and running again on your blog (no pressure) and I’ll do a special shout out for you to help get the word out – we’re all in this together, and the more positive voices the better! xox

  19. Gail Perry Avatar

    Hey! Welcome back! And happy New Year! I’m so happy for the new you, and

    1. The Mindful Migraine Blog Avatar

      I’m so excited to be back to – and to get to spend time with YOU – I’m buzzing with anticipation for what the new year holds – I’m determined to make it a goodie, no matter what life throws a me! Super happy to get to share the adventure with you! L xx

  20. hubertprevy Avatar

    Happy New Year Linda!
    I’m happy to see you back ant to hear you to have brought your migraine under control.
    I like the Lagertha trick, sounds resourceful to me 🙂

    1. The Mindful Migraine Blog Avatar

      WOO HOO!! You are my first to make a comment since I came back – you’re the best! I’m SO glad that we became blog buddies – and thank you for supporting the Lagertha trick – Viking ladies were pretty amazing!! 🙂

      1. hubertprevy Avatar

        Indeed they are, to this very day – told by one who once dated both a Swedish and a Norwegian ladies 😉

        1. The Mindful Migraine Blog Avatar

          I thought you might have had a few run ins with a shield maiden or two – they seem to know their own mind and are not afraid to speak it!!

          1. hubertprevy Avatar

            There was little drama, I was just too boring and unable to read any clues. Also irritating to them was my OCD-like behavior.
            Actually, I prefer Eva’s directness 🙂

            1. The Mindful Migraine Blog Avatar

              When you know you know! Enjoy the family life you’ve built for yourself – it sounds super special!

              1. hubertprevy Avatar

                Hereby I promise I will, and they really are 🙂

                PS: even if sometimes I feel ripe for getting institutionalized 😉

                1. The Mindful Migraine Blog Avatar

                  I feel rotten lots of the time, but I’m choosing to ignore it as best I can! Keep shining!

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