Close One Door, Open Another!
By: Stephanie Andrews
Happy New Year! A quick check-in at the end of the holiday season, in anticipation of 2026!
The big event of our holiday season was our daughter’s graduation!
As I put away my holiday decorations, I find myself reflecting on the previous year. December is such a busy month—full of client installations, shopping, parties, and family events like Allie’s graduation—that it’s often the first time in weeks I truly slow down. While the “close” of the holiday season brings a touch of melancholy (especially tossing out that dry tree!), I also feel excited about bringing order and spaciousness back into our home.
A December installation of a beautiful new office by BD designer Jennifer Carter. Love those colors!
What New Year rituals do you practice? Whether it’s goals, resolutions, or journaling, I’m always interested in the different ways people approach the new year. I especially love creating a vision board with my close group. This year, I bought us a more permanent felt bulletin board to replace the cardboard we used previously. If you’re new to the concept, here is an excellent article that explains the power of vision boards. As a highly visual person, I plan to hang mine next to my full-length mirror for daily inspiration. I hope to share that final board with you next week.
Our small, narrow tree on Christmas Eve.
In addition to vision boards, I choose a word for the year to channel my energy in a singular direction. It acts as a consistent mantra that helps cut through the noise of everyday life. Here is a fantastic article on choosing your word of the year.
After I finished putting away the decorations, I felt a spacious, organized feeling.
– 2025 was “Write,” and I succeeded in writing to you on Design Pulp almost every week.
– 2024 was “Quality,” inspired by the meticulous lifestyle in Japan.
– 2023 was “Discipline,” after hearing Jocko Willink’s equation “discipline = freedom”. That led to a fitness routine that has stuck ever since.
I found this quote by Mara on Substack that encourages my word “open”.
For 2026, I am pondering the word “Open.” This means being open to new people, more adventures, deepening current relationships, and potentially closing relationships that no longer serve me.
I would love to know if you choose a word of the year! What word did you pick, and why is it important to you? Your rituals may make it onto my list next year!
Until next week,
Stephanie