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How to Make 2026 the Best Year: 6 Questions to Ask Yourself

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This content outlines a powerful year-end ritual using six questions to help individuals reflect on the past year and strategically plan for the upcoming one, aiming to make it their best year yet. The process emphasizes self-awareness derived from past experiences as the foundation for future success.

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There are six questions that I will walk

you through that you need to answer

[music] right now if you want to make

next year your best year ever. See, an

amazing year, an amazing life, it

doesn't happen by chance. It happens by choice.

choice.

Because if you had a lot of low points

this year, you're not alone. That

doesn't mean anything is wrong with you.

Because when you tell the truth about

what knocked you down, what drained you,

what broke your heart, you're not being

dramatic, you're being self-aware.

And that awareness [music] is the

starting point for change. You can't

create directions for where you want to

go unless you know where you're starting

from. This is a year-end ritual that my

husband Christopher and I have been

doing together for the last 22 years

because it's simple and it works. And if

you've had a challenging year, you

deserve to make the next year your

Hey, it's your friend Mel and welcome to

the Mel Robbins podcast. I am ecstatic

that you're here today. It is such an

honor to be together and to spend this

time with you, but today in particular,

I am fired up that you're here. And if

you're a new listener, you're here

because somebody shared this with you. I

just want to take a moment and

personally welcome you to the Mel

Robbins podcast family. I cannot tell

you how excited I am about today's

conversation and the year-end planning

exercise that you and I are going to be

doing together because I'm about to

teach you how to make next year the best

year of your life using six powerful

questions that you need to ask yourself

right now. Now, this is a year-end

ritual that my husband Christopher and I

have been doing together for the last 22

years. Our three adult children now do

this with us. It's based on research. It

is so simple. It is shockingly powerful.

I cannot wait for you to extract the

wisdom and clarity that you need in

order to make this coming year one of

your best years ever. And here's one of

the things I want to encourage you to

do. Share it with your friends. Share it

with your family. Share it with

colleagues at work. In fact, you can hit

the share button on this episode right

now. And when you all get together, you

can print out your free workbook. Just

go to melrobins.com/bestyear

and let me tell you about the workbook.

Okay, I got the workbook right here. It

is 20 pages long. It is beautifully

designed. It is free. And we designed

this because it acts as a companion to

the episode that you're listening to or

watching here on YouTube. And here's

what I love about the workbook. The

workbook is going to guide you in

digging even deeper into the six

questions that you're about to hear me

ask you and that I'm going to be

answering for myself alongside you as we

go through this ritual together. And so

you might be asking yourself, why do you

need to do this? Simple. If you never

stop and force yourself to take a look

at your life, you miss the chance to

take control of your life and make it

better. See, an amazing year, an amazing

life, it doesn't happen by chance. It

happens by choice. And one of the

biggest mistakes that I see people make

when they sit down to plan the year is

that they miss the critical first step

of the planning process. And I've done

this, too, because you're so excited to

end the year, right? and to get that

fresh slate and the clean start and

particularly a year like this where it

could feel like a dumpster fire. You're

like, let's just put this sucker out and

move on to the next year. I'm done with

2025 for crying out loud. I just need a

clean slate. I need a fresh start. I

need to look ahead. I do not want to

look back. But if you only look ahead

and you don't take a moment to look back

at the last 12 months, you miss the

single most important part of planning.

And that is taking a very close look at

what just happened this year. You've

experienced so many things, good and

bad. You've had highs, you've had lows,

you've had lessons, you've had wins,

you've had losses. And if you're like

me, you've probably forgotten 99% of

them really. I mean, you might think you

remember what happened in the last 12

months, but you don't. You can't trust

your brain. And that's reason number one

that we're going to in a very specific

way. We're going to look backward before

we start to look forward. So, I don't

want you to answer the questions based

on memory.

One thing that I find very helpful is

that not only you're going to have your

workbook next to you, and if you don't

have the workbook, no problem. You can

just use a piece of paper. But the

second thing I want you to have when you

sit down and truly take the time to go

through this planning ritual and to ask

yourself these six questions and to

really dig deep and answer them. I want

you to have your phone next to you. And

what you're going to notice is as you go

through your camera roll and you go

through each of these first three

questions, what were the lowest points

of your year? What were the highest

points of the year? And what are the

lessons that you learned and the wisdom

that you gained from these last 12

months of your life? What you're going

to notice is you had a lot of life these

last 12 months. There was so much

wisdom. The second reason why we're

going to look back, it just has to do

with the mechanics of navigating and

getting a set of directions because you

may be in this moment very clear about

some of the things that you would love

to have happen next year. You know, kind

of the goals that you have, the things

that you're wishing for. Maybe you're

really clear. I I want to make more

money. I want to take better care of

myself. I'd like to see my friends more.

I really want to meet the love of my

life. I'd like to lose some weight. I'd

like to be in better shape. I'd like to

travel a little bit more. I'd like to

change my job. I'd like to learn new

skills. That's fantastic. But it only

tells me where you want to go.

Consider this. You can't create

directions for where you want to go

unless you know where you're starting

from. In fact, it's mathematically impossible

impossible

to create directions unless you know the

starting point and then where you want

to go from there.

And you also cannot create a plan for

where you want to go next year that's

going to work until you fully understand

exactly where you're starting from right

now. In fact, this is my favorite part

about planning for next year. My

favorite part is looking back at the

past 12 months and extracting everything

I can from it because I don't want you

to repeat the same mistakes. I want you

to double down on what went well. I want

you to pull out the lessons and carry

them forward because you're going to use

them to make this next year of your life

one of the best years of your life ever.

And it is one of the secrets to my

success because it really helps me get

intentional about what I want. And so

before I came up here to talk to you and

share this exercise with you, I went

into Chris's office and I went through

his files and I found this folder and

it's labeled 2006 goals. And you can see

this is a very old folder. I opened it

up and I found

the original planning that Chris and I

did in 2004.

Oh my gosh, this is so cute. I wanted to

get pregnant

and I wanted to get pregnant and have a

little boy.

Oh my gosh, that's so awesome. This is

before Oakley was born. Um, how cool. Oh

gosh, I'm still working at getting out

of bed. I wanted to consistently get out

of bed at 6:00 a.m. [laughter]

This is so cute. Chris has got stuff on

here a lot about health.

But anyway, it's just amazing to look

back on this. And we started doing this

with our kids about 10 years ago. And so

I have been doing this for 22 years.

When people ask me what is one of the

secrets of your se success other than

hard work and doing the things you don't

feel like doing and obsessing over the

details cuz that's what makes you exceptional

exceptional

instead of just good at something. This

planning exercise is an example of a

secret that I have been using for 22

years so that no matter what's going on

in the world around me, I take the time

to get very clear about what I want,

very clear about what's working, what's

not working, and I use this exercise I

if I really think about it in the

broadest sense as a way to change the

settings in my mind. This is what a lot

of the neuroscientists have talked about

on this podcast to intentionally

program my mind and let it know what's

important to me. There's one piece of

research I want to call your attention

to. It's from California State

University and UCLA and they looked just

at the act of writing a short letter to

your future self. Now, this research

appeared in the Journal of Experimental

Psychology Applied. And here's what the

research found. When you spend even a

few minutes connecting the dots between

who you've been, who you are right now,

and who you want to become in the

future, research shows that you feel

even more closely bonded to the future

version of you. Isn't that kind of cool

that just taking the time right now with

me or if you're going to do this whole

process after you listen and watch once

through and then you're going to go and

do it with people that you care about.

Simply taking the time to look at the

last 12 months to think about the future

to write all this stuff down, you're

going to feel more strongly connected to

the version of you that you see in the

future. In this study, the people who

took the time to connect the dots

between who I have been and who I really

want to become, they exercise more. They

were more intentional about how they

went through their day-to-day life. Just

a tiny writing exercise changed

realworld behavior. And that's exactly

what answering these six questions is

going to do for you because you're

taking the time to do this. And that

means you're intentionally creating this

bridge between where you are right now

and the version of yourself in the

future that you want to grow into. Makes

sense, right? Of course it does. So,

let's go through the first three

questions and we're going to do this

together. And question number one is,

what were the low points of your year?

And here's why I want to start here. I

want to start with what were the lowest

points of your year? Because if you had

a lot of low points this year, you're

not alone. I mean, you might be waking

up most days with this lowgrade sense of

dread right now. Maybe you've been in a

constant state of worry. It's been in

the back of your mind. You're constantly

worried about money or politics or war

or the climate or your kids or parents

or your health or all of it. So, if life

has felt hard a lot of the time these

last 12 months, here's the first thing I

want you to know.

That doesn't mean it was a bad year.

That doesn't mean anything is wrong with

you. First of all, it means you're alive

and you're paying attention. And I don't

want you to beat yourself up. Because

here's the funny thing about low moments

and hard years.

If I think about my life, not that

anybody deserves a hard year, but if I

think about my life, I learned the most

and made the biggest positive changes in

my life after the hardest years of my

life. And that's not to say that you

deserve to be struggling. I'm not saying

that at all.

But there is a connection between those

years where there's a lot of heavy stuff

going on and this internal resolve

and just like h that you need to say I

have to not have that happen again. I

have to make a change. And there's also

a big sciencebacked benefit, by the way,

to starting here and to looking at the

low moments and to looking square in the

face at what was hard, spending time

with this question. What were the low

moments? As difficult as it may be,

this is actually good for you and me.

There's this study that was published in

2018 and it was done by researchers at

UC Irvine and Penn State. And here's

what they did. They tracked what

happened when people had hard things

happen and then just shove down the

emotions, tried to move on, and never

sat down to intentionally process what

happened or what they're feeling about

it. And the research is very clear on

this that you do need to sit down. It is

important to just take a moment and face

the lowest parts of the year.

Acknowledge it. And here's why. It gives

your brain a chance to process what happened.

happened.

Listen to this. The researchers found

that when people don't do this, when you

just try to move on, let's just make

next year a great year, even though this

year was a dumpster fire and I hate it

every second. No. Researchers found that

if you just try to move on,

when you let the negative emotions just

sort of stick down deep down there and

ignore it, those feelings stay in your body.

body.

You're going to feel more stressed.

You're going to have more issues with

your physical health. Everyday life

starts to feel harder. But when you

really take a moment to acknowledge what

was hard, and you write it down, you

know what you're doing? You're freeing

yourself of the weight of it. There's

also really cool insights from Ethan

Cross, who's a psychology professor at

the University of Michigan, who appeared

on this podcast.

Uh, Professor Cross says that taking the

time to do an exercise like this, you

know what it does? It also puts distance

between you and your negative thoughts

about it. Isn't that kind of cool?

Because we kind of think it's the

opposite. If we just ignore it and we

try to move on and set new goals that

somehow we're distancing oursel, it's

the opposite. You subconsciously drag it

with you. acknowledging it. It's a way

to untangle the loops that are running

in your subconscious that are pulling

you down and create distance from those

things that happen so that we can get

into an intentional mindset that's going

to give you clarity and that's going to

help you make better decisions and

that's going to help you focus on what's

ahead instead of trying to outrun what

was behind. Don't don't you think this

is so cool? I love this stuff. I

absolutely love this stuff. And so I'm

gonna start scrolling through my camera

right now. And I know it can be hard to

look back, but I'm telling you, it's

going to be the key to move forward. And

so get out your camera roll. I want you

to get out your calendar. And I want you

to go all the way back to January 2025.

And I want you to think about question

number one, what were the low moments?

And I also want you to think about

question number two. What were the high

moments, the highlights, the things that

were amazing? Or maybe the little things

that happened that are you even forgot

it happened, but it brought you so much

joy. And the reason why I'm asking you

to hold both of those questions in your

mind is because you're going to start

scrolling through your camera. It's

going to happen to me, too. And you're

going to see both. You're going to see

both. And you're going to see things

like, "Oh my gosh, I totally forgot that

my aunt was sick and was in the

hospital. I forgot how many days I

showed up and was there to support her.

Oh my gosh, I forgot about that

snowstorm when the the boiler went out."

Or, "Oh wow, I had to miss out on my

family vacation

because work got so crazy and work made

me miss out on it." Maybe you're going

to see that money was tighter than

normal. Maybe you lost a job. Maybe

business slowed way down. Maybe somebody

that you love is no longer here. Maybe

you had a plan, you know, to lose 25

pounds at the beginning of last year,

but it all fell apart because you've

been stressed out. You've been caring

for everybody else, and so you never

carved out the time for yourself because

your aging parents needed you. And

here's one other thing I'm going to

invite you to do. If at the end of last

year you did set some goals for yourself

this year,

bring them to this exercise

because maybe you said you were going to

get a promotion or you were going to

find the one or you were going to buy a

house or you were going to get into the

program or that you were going to see

your friends and maybe none of that

happened. What I'm going to tell you is

it probably didn't happen because you

never looked back to understand where

you were starting from. Because when you

look back and realize, whoa, I spent my

entire year taking care of young kids

and taking care of my aging parents and

I was in school at night and I was also

working full-time. You're going to have

some compassion for yourself. You're

going to realize that part of being

successful in achieving your goals is in

being realistic about what your life

looks like right now and being realistic

about what you can fit in and succeed

at. And when you start from there, we

can create a set of directions to get

you where you want to go. We can create

something that's both realistic and

attainable and also inspiring to dream

about. And when you set goals and a

vision for how this is going to be the

best year of your life that are in

direct response

to what you experienced in the last 12

months and where you are right now.

These goals, they become personal.

They're no longer I should do this

because the internet says so. They're a

you know what, I need to do this. I want

to do this. I get to do this because I

want to feel better. And this is what

psychologists call intrinsic motivation.

It's the internal fuel that comes from

you having a deeply personal meaning

tied to the types of things you want to

change this year. Because if it really

matters to you to not be lonely again

this year because as you scrolled

through the photos, you're like, I

didn't spend any time with my friends.

No wonder I'm really lonely.

It really matters to me. like this is

something I deserve. This is something I

need. This is something I get to do is

to prioritize this. If I saw my friends

more, it would be one of the best years

ever. Well, when you can connect what

you want to do to that deep intrinsic

meaning for you, you will do something

about it because you know why it matters

to you. If you keep seeing yourself

standing in the back of every photo

because you don't like how you look. If

you see yourself taking photos of your

family, but you're sitting on the bench

while they're off on the hike. If it

really matters to you to not be out of

breath when you're walking up the stairs

because you're starting to say, "Hey,

some of the low moments is I didn't opt

in. I didn't feel good about myself. I

didn't participate with my kids or my

friends the way that I wanted to." When

you connect it to something you deserve,

when you connect it to something that

will make your year better, when you do

it for you because you get to and

because you deserve to, that's that

intrinsic motivation. That's how we

create the best year ever. And that's

why you can't skip this question. Okay,

here's a major low point for me. I don't

even want to show you this photo. This

is me

on January 26th.

I am so sick. I missed a friend's

wedding. I had worked myself into the

ground. I was in bed for 4 days. I

Oh, Mel,

you really need to take a break, woman.

I mean, wow. Wow. Um, okay. Let's keep

going back. There's lots of photos of

hotels, of airports, uh, of me on the

go, go, you know, and look, I can't

really complain about work because I'm

self-employed. I did it to myself and

this year has been just unbelievable. I

think it's like the highlight of my

career. That said, I did not take care

of myself at all. I was inconsistent

with exercise. I I could get my morning

walk in, but you know how all the

experts are constantly like, you got to

get a lot of protein, you got to do your

resistance training, you got to stay

hydrated. I did not do a good job of

that. I mean, how could I if I was just

go go go go? It's so hard. It's hard to

implement the advice when you're

constantly stressed and you're

constantly worried and you're and it's

not even that it was like negative

stress. It was just constantly on the

go. And you might see that too, that in

and among all the photos, what you're

not seeing is you taking care of

yourself. You're just seeing yourself on

the move and doing things. And that's

very very evident that despite the fact

that I really wanted to take better care

of myself, I'm embarrassed to tell you

it was even a goal last year of mine to

do more strength training, to eat more

protein, because that's what so many

experts come on this show and tell us

over and over and over again, whether

they're a neurologist or a cardiologist

or a psychologist or it's women's

hormones or it's muscular health or any

of it. Like everybody's saying this. I I

did not do a great job of that. Not at

all. And look, you may not even be

jumping on a plane. A lot of people have

jobs that require them to travel.

Whether that means jumping on a plane

cuz you work for a consulting company or

jumping behind the wheel because you're

a long haul truck driver or working Oh

my gosh. For those of you that work

shifts in a hospital and you're on that

12-hour rotation, and isn't it true that

hospitals don't exactly have the

healthiest options for the people that

are working there as you're on the go

and you can't take a break? Or if you're

a teacher, holy c, when are you going to

take a break and take care, you're not.

And so whether you're just crazy busy

because work has been crazy busy or your

life is just busy. you are running from

an email to a Zoom call to a phone call

with your mom to trying to wrestle down

a doctor's bill like busy busy. This

year was I think unprecedentedly

busy for all of us. And so I think one

of the big themes for me when I look at

the low points if I have to summarize it is

is a

I didn't spend enough time with friends.

B, I did, I would say, a C plus job of

truly taking care of myself, and that

means getting resistance training in. It

means getting the proper nutrition,

getting the amount of protein that I

need every day and not taking care of

myself. It just like spills over into

the next day. Cuz there's a lot of

photos in here that I'm not going to

show you of me

taking a selfie in bed. And I just am

clearly exhausted. And that's because I

ran myself into the ground and I was

sending the selfie to my husband. And I

have more photos of my two dogs and my

cats than I do my family or my friends.

That's a problem. Uh, another low point,

Oakley left for sophomore year. And I

don't know about what anyone else feels,

but in terms of the empty nest thing,

the first year there's such a buildup that

that

I don't know you I felt really sad and

the house was incredibly quiet, but I

also saw it as this amazing opportunity.

And then, you know, they come back, they

come back for break, they come back,

they come back for the summer. There was

something about him leaving this fall

for the second year that it's like, oh, oh,

oh,

this is actually the new reality. Oh,

Oh, oh,

oh,

he's going to come back less and less

and oh, I better wake up and not just expect

expect

to see the kids because they're coming

home. I I got to get very intentional

about going to them.

And that's a really important insight

that comes from seeing the low point

that the house was really quiet. I

worked too much. I didn't see my friends

enough. I took kind of lousy care of

myself. And that's the truth. That's the

truth. I got to do better this year. I

just have to do better. Have to do

better. And here's what I want you to understand.

understand.

You see how I'm not shaming myself? I'm

just being like, matter of fact. Matter

of fact, this is what happened. Matter

of fact, okay? Because when you tell the

truth about what knocked you down, what

drained you, what broke your heart,

you're not being dramatic. You're being self-aware.

self-aware.

And that awareness is the starting point

for change. And that brings me to the

second question. If we're going to look

at the lows, we're also going to look at

the highs. So, as you're going through

here, I want you to look at the things

that were highs for you. And it doesn't

necessarily mean the big flashy stuff. I

mean, one of the huge highs for me is

even though we didn't get a great family

photo of the five of us. I'm talking

like one that everybody in the family be

like, "Oh, I love that." One of my huge

highlights of these last 12 months is I

spent a ton of time with family. I made

an effort to see my parents. They made

an effort to come see me. My husband and

I made an effort to go to where our kids

were and to spend time with them. We did

some really amazing like family things

in terms of camping and experiences that

we did together.

I made a a point to do a trip solo with

my daughter Kendall, something we had

never done, just the two of us. And

think about that. She's 25 years old.

But because she's my middle daughter,

every time I would go on a

mother-daughter trip when they were

little, I'd always take Sawyer, too. And

if Sawyer wasn't with us, we always went

with another mother daughter. I'd never

done anything with just Kendall. It was

incredible. I'm sitting here looking at

these photos of us at Roundtop. It was

one of the highlights of my year spa

spending that time with her and making

the time to do it. And so that's a

highlight. And that's also a lesson. You

got to plan this stuff now. This stuff

is not going to happen by accident, you

know. I I want you to go through your

calendar and look at some of the highs

because there are so many Oh, I'm just

seeing so Oh, I'm seeing a photo of me

walking in the park before work one

morning with Christine and my daughter

Sawyer. I'm looking at I There's just so

many good things here. Great people that

I got to meet this year. Lots of smiles

as I'm at work with, you know, all the

great people we work with.

Wow, there's lots of good stuff here.

Oh, Chris and I went to Montana and we

uh went fly fishing, which is exactly

what we did for our honeymoon 28 years

ago. I went down and saw my parents for

a couple days in Florida. Oh, and they

did a they did their first soundbull

healing with me. Um Oh gosh, here's

another one. Oh, I'm visit my parents

came to visit me in April.

Oh gosh, here we all are together again

in May in Chicago. You know what is

interesting about this is that I have

this narrative that I don't see my

parents a lot. And yet here, right on my

photo roll before the middle of May, I

had seen my folks four times this year,

which is huge when you consider that we

live a 16-hour drive apart from one

another. Isn't that interesting? Like

you're going to you're going to you're

going to actually

see a lot of things in this that might

also challenge the way you beat yourself

up. Oh, Jesse's baby. Jesse had a baby.

You know, it was our first baby here at

143 Studios. The highs show you what you

want more of. The highs show you what

you're willing to work for. What I also

love about the highs is that you're

going to notice there are these small

moments that really

are the big moments. Here's a photo that

I'm looking at right now of Chris and

Oakley and I. We went and surprised him.

He was playing at this big ultimate

tournament and he's got tears in his

eyes as you know he's just hugged Chris

and he couldn't believe we were there.

That was a huge high for me that moment.

I mean, it's the little stuff, honestly,

that you're going to notice are the

things that really mean a lot to you.

Maybe you're in a job where you sit all

day, but this year you started walking

in the morning and you see photos in

your camera roll of, you know, the

little hearts, whether it's the rocks or

the leaves or things on your walks that

you notice. There were tons of flowers

on my camera roll. Maybe it was a really

good book that you read. I read one of

my favorite books of all time. This was

a high. The emperor of gladness this is

here. Or it was a photo or a painting

that you hung in your living room that

makes you smile every time you walk past

it. All of that counts. Like anything

that puts a smile or a

on you know your heart. Oh, one of the

most amazing highs was we went to the

Coldplay concert. And if you've ever

been to a Coldplay concert, they do all

these explosions of confetti. In fact,

it's the thing that inspired me to

shower the audience with huge ticker

tape confetti at the Let Them tour. Wait

till you experience this if you're

coming on tour with us in 2026.

And there are all these photos from this

summer when we were at the Coldplay

concert and the confetti flying through

the air and our kids in it. That is

something I'm going to remember. the oh

the smile and the oh because the more

you look for good things the more you

see them

and you know I've already said that I

kind of feel like I am in the single

biggest moment of my career that what

has happened this year in my life in my

career with this podcast with the let

them theory book it is nothing short of

jaw-dropping like never in my wildest

dreams could I have imagined what has

happened. And so I do want to take a

moment and just thank you because you're

a huge highlight of my year. The way

that you showed up for yourself and

started listening to a podcast that

makes you feel good and that empowers

you to make changes in your life that

make you feel better. We are the number

one most followed show on all of Apple

podcasts. Are you kidding me?

I I I my jaw is on the floor. The number

one most shared episode on all of Apple

podcasts is a Mel Robbins podcast

episode, the one that we did with Dr.

Stacy Sims from Stanford who came on and

taught us how to do the body reset. In

fact, I was joking with her this

morning. I'm like, I blame you, Dr.

Sims. I blame you because you're the one

that told me I had to start doing

resistance training. You're the one that

told me the importance and the critical

nature of getting complete protein in my

life. You're the one that put me on this

like journey of understanding that I

needed to do this because it's very hard

to get the amount of protein that you

need. very hard to do the resistance

training when you're constantly as busy

as you and I are, but we're doing it. I

mean, another thing I have to thank you

for is the Let Them Theory book. The Let

Them Theory book is the number one book

in the world. And look, you can write a

great book and it can do really well.

And that's an incredible thing that is

very, very rare.

But the let them theory

is almost beyond description because it

has become an actual phenomenon.

You don't just have a book come along

that 8 million people

read or listen to

in 11 months. What that tells me is that

the let them theory and the book and the

experience of reading and listening to

it that it not only empowered you but it was

was

something that you felt was so

empowering that you were giving it to

other people and you were recommending

it. And so it's a real highlight of my

life and my career. And I think it's

important for you when you have a win

that you claim it too, that you

celebrate it, too. And so, thank you.

Thank you for being a huge part of this

success. Thank you for being interested

in making your life better. Thank you

for recommending the episodes that have

made a difference for you with the

people that you care about. I I just I I

am deeply humbled by what's happening.

And then that brings me to the Let them

tour. That was one of the most fun and

rewarding experiences of my life. I met

so many of you in person. You know, when

I sit here above my garage or I'm in the

studios in downtown Boston, I don't see

you and I don't see like what you're

doing with this as you're doing this. I

can imagine it cuz I read the comments

and I read the emails you send in the

inbox and we circulate those to the

team. But it was so extraordinary to be

in the same room with you and to feel

the collective energy that happens when

you're with a group of people who want

the best for themselves and they want it

for everybody around them too. I mean

that's just extraordinary. But the

single best part was actually doing the

tour experience with my daughter Sawyer

and my daughter Kendall. I don't know

why I thought that doing skits in front

of a live audience about our

motherdaughter issues would be fun

because it wasn't fun [laughter]

until we kind of got into the rhythm of

it. But here's the thing that I will

claim is the highlight. The highlight is

that at the age of 56,

I forced myself to do something I had

never done before. I had never acted. I

had never done comedy. I had never put

on a show like that. And it was so hard

and so incredible at the same time. And

I just grew and I grew and I grew

because of it. So don't overthink it.

Just scroll through the photos, scroll

through your calendars, and ask

yourself, was it fun? Did this

experience lighten you up? Did it make

you feel like yourself? Is there

something about this that makes you want

to do more of it in the coming year? If

the answer is yes, it goes on the list.

This was a highlight. And you know, I I

I even kind of shuddered to tell you the

good stuff about me cuz it's so once in

a-lifetime stuff. But if you've got

something that's once in a lifetime,

your your first baby was born, your

grandchild was born, you you have you

got married to the love of your life. If

you put on an art exhibit at your local

town and people showed up, that's a

high. If you got into nursing school, if

you got through nursing school, if you

decided that you were going to change

your major cuz you didn't like

accounting or medicine, that's a high.

Claim these things because they say

something about you. What did you learn

about yourself this past year? This is

where I want you to dig because you've

already done a lot of the leg work for

this part. Your answers to the first two

questions. And again, when you do this

the answers in the workbook and the way

that we structured the workbook to guide

you to go a little deeper, holy cow, the

answers in there, they're going to help

you answer this question number three.

What did you learn this year? If a low

point was that you were constantly

worried about somebody that you love

who's sick that you're taking care of

and you were so worried about them that

that's all that you did and you had no

life outside of that. Maybe you learned

that this year you can't let yourself

get that overwhelmed. You do need to ask

for help. You do need to reach back out

to those friends who said, "Is there

anything I can do for you?" And you was

like, "No, no, no. I got it. I got it. I

got it." You might have found that

you're more resilient than you thought.

If you see that something was really bad

about a friendship or about a work

relationship or about your marriage,

maybe you're done tolerating a certain

type of behavior. Maybe you learned that

you're capable of changing your careers

or that you need help with your mental

health and there's no shame in that.

See, the highlights and the hard parts,

the highs and the lows, they're not just

memories. They're data.

Those experience are telling you

something about what you like, about

what you don't like, about what you need

more of, what you never want to go

through again. And so, just sit with

this for a bit. And for me, when I look

at question number three, given

everything that happened this year, what

did I learn about myself?

What I learned about myself is number

one, I love spending time with you. I

love spending time with you in real

life. Not just on this podcast, but I

love meeting you in person. And I'm not

just saying that.

I really do feel that it brings me so

much energy. And so I want to find ways

to connect with you more in real life.

So that's number one. That was just such

a huge highlight. And it was a big

takeaway for me that in-person experiences

experiences

just give you life. I love that. Second

thing, [laughter] [gasps]

[gasps] now

now

this is something my husband Chris

would be able to tell you because he is

a very organized person. He is a systems

person and he

knows that this is a challenge for me.

But it is so clear that I am at my best

when I have structure, when I have

routines, and when I have systems. I'm

going to give you an example. There were

a bunch of photos in my camera roll of a

particular week where I just looked so

energized at work and I went back to my

calendar and I was like, what was going

on that week at work? And I realized, oh

my gosh, I had meal prepped. I know this

sounds so dumb, but there's this

particular soup. I've talked about it

before. It's swamp soup. The recipe

comes from Wishbone Kitchen. It's this

green mess of a soup with chicken and

rice, and I love to make it, but I

started making it in September. And I

would then bring it down to our studios

in Boston, and I would eat this chicken

soup all week. So, I was getting enough

protein. I was getting proper nutrition.

And I felt phenomenal. I was in control.

I was less impulsive. I was focused. I

was energized. I was waking up early

enough to go to Pilates or use the hotel

gym. I mean, it was a complete contrast

to the weeks where we would be taping

the podcast episode and I'm like, I

don't even know what to eat. I'm tired.

I'm sluggish. I'm moody. I'm unfocused.

So the bottom line is I want to feel

healthier in my life and I cannot and do

not plan to overhaul it. I need simple

repeatable structures and systems that I

can add into my day that give me the

proper nutrition because it's like a

domino effect. When I eat healthy, when

I'm getting whole foods, when I've

prepped my meals, when I'm getting

enough protein, I feel great. I sleep

better. I wake up earlier. I exercise.

For me, it's like that domino that falls

and the rest of it's easier. The third

lesson for me, it's a huge one, and I

know this, but but this is why this is

so important. The things that you know

are important, you need to be reminded

of them. Like, I realize that it's

obvious advice to say, if you want to

see your family more, freaking get out

your calendar and schedule more time

with your family. But life is so busy

and a year goes by in a blur that this

slowing down and looking back really

sears into your cellular structure.

What's important to you? And my

relationships are the single most

important thing in my life. And they're

the most important thing in your life,

too. And the reason why I started the

year on a trip celebrating my dad's 80th

birthday is because two years prior we

had put it in the calendar. The reason

why I saw my folks a lot this year is

because we made the plan to do it. The

reason why I spent a lot of time with my

kids one-on-one is because I made the

effort and I made the plan. The reason

why I saw my friends in Montana is

because we scheduled it in.

And it's a reminder of how fast a year

goes, how fast it's just all over. It

puts into focus that love, it's really

the only thing that matters. I mean,

isn't that the truth? And I need to keep

that front and center because the things

that were the highs about my life this

year were all about other people. And

this is backed by research. Professor

Carl Pillmer at Cornell University. He

runs Cornell's Legacy Project where he

studies people in their 80s, 90s, and

their 100s. And they look at what are

the top regrets of people who are

nearing the end of their life. And their

top regret is leaving things unsaid.

It's not spending time with the people

that you cared about when they were here

and when you had the ability to do it.

Another piece of research, the Harvard

study of adult development,

relationships are the number one

predictor of whether or not you live a

good life. And this year, every single

high that I had was because I was

spending it with people that I love. And

I am proud of myself of building good

habits. That's another lesson. I'm proud

of myself. And I want you to look at

what are you proud of? Like there's a

bunch of habits from the experts that

were on the Mel Robbins podcast this

year that I really was good about

despite how busy things were. Number

one, I was fantastic about getting out

for a daily walk. No matter where I was

on the planet, I was out for a daily

walk. And I see myself all over the

place walking a lot of times alone cuz

I'm traveling for work, but I'm still

doing it. I got rid of the plastic

cutting boards in our uh kitchen and all

the plastic containers that you store

things in. I feel good about that. My

husband and I both go to therapy and

it's really improved our relationship

and I certainly feel like a better

version of myself. And the other thing

is I use the let them theory. I am a

different person because of the let them

theory. I had no clue how controlling I

was and how judgy I was. And the let

them theory has made me a better person

from the inside out because it's taught

me how to just truly let people be who

they are. Let them think what they're

going to think and resist the urge to

control them or change them or be upset

with them when they don't meet my

expectations. I'm a more compassionate

person. I feel more peaceful. I hope as

you've used the let them theory, part of

what you can reflect on is how good it

feels to stop controlling everyone and

everything and just focus on the let me

part. And so I'm really that's a huge

thing I'm going to carry forward because

I love how I feel using this theory.

And the best part about this is that if

there's aspects of your life that you

don't like or that didn't feel very good

this year, you have it within you the

ability and the capacity to change it

for the better. And that brings us to

the next three questions.

It's called stop, start, continue.

These three questions, what are you

going to stop doing? What are you going

to start doing? What are you going to

continue doing? They come from a

strategy framework that global companies

and leadership teams use all the time

because it's simple and it works and

it's strategic. And now that we've

extracted all the lessons and you know

the highs and the lows, it is so easy

and obvious to answer the question,

stop, start, and continue. I love this.

The insights that you just uncovered

create the clear plan for next year. And

so here's your next question. Isn't this

exciting? Can you tell I'm now getting

really exciting? What will you stop

doing in the next year? And here's what

I want you to keep in mind. One of the

fastest ways to change your life and

level up is to identify what you're

going to quit. Winners quit all the time

because there's a big difference between

quitting something out of fear and

quitting something because it no longer

aligns with your values. It's no longer

important. It's no longer working.

Winners quit the habits. They quit

patterns. They quit expectations. They

quit jobs. They quit relationships. They

quit projects. They quit obligations.

They quit customers. They quit career

paths that drain them. They quit all the

time because they quit the things that

keep them frustrated, exhausted,

distracted, so they can actually move

forward. You know, one of the biggest

things that that I can see about the let

them theory is it helped me stop

controlling other people. It helped me

stop trying to change other people.

That was liberating. And honestly, it

kind of goes against the way the world

teaches you to live. I mean, you and I

are surrounded by this pressure to do

more, add more, push more. as if the

only path to a better life is piling

more on your plate. But that's not true.

One of our guests this year on the Mel

Robbins podcast, Georgetown University

professor Cal Newport, who's an expert

on time and productivity, said something

that really struck me. Real productivity

isn't about doing more. It's about

focusing on what really matters. Subtraction

Subtraction

before addition. subtraction

subtraction

because it creates room for what

matters. That's why this question is so

important. It forces you to stop everything

everything

and start being deliberate. So when you

ask yourself, what do I need to stop

doing? You're not giving up. You're

getting strategic. And here's a couple

examples of what you need to stop doing.

I need to stop going into a job every

day that makes me miserable. I need to

stop telling myself that it's a very

hard economy and I'm never going to find

a job. I need to stop telling myself

that I'm never going to meet the one. I

need to stop beating myself up over the

shape that I am in because that's not

helping. That's not motivating. I need

to stop trying to change my partner

because it's creating a lot of

resistance in my life. I need to stop

telling myself I'm too old, I'm too

young, I'm too this, I'm too that.

That's what I need to stop doing. I need

to stop sitting alone in my house and

feeling sorry for myself because it's

contributing to the loneliness I feel. I

need to stop sitting around and waiting

for other people to call me. and I need

to take responsibility for the kind of

social life, for the connection to my

family that I want. When you decide to

stop because it no longer serves you,

it's a waste of your time, it's

frustrating, it's stupid, it's annoying,

your values have changed, your

priorities have changed, you're going to

make a decision to stop. Stopping

becomes the lever that moves you forward

rather than this weight that's holding

you back. And so, as your friend, I'm

going to ask you, what are you going to

stop doing next year? You going to stop

doom scrolling every night before bed

and then getting a crappy night's sleep?

Will you stop being available 24/7 for

work texts and emails? Will you stop

comparing yourself to strangers online

or to your sister or your best friend?

Will you stop blaming yourself for

things that were never yours to carry in

the first place? How about you stop

giving your time to relationships that

never give anything back? I know one

thing that I'm gonna stop. I'm gonna

stop making excuses around resistance

training. I just need to stop making

excuses. I'm a person who is very

intimidated by walking into a hotel gym.

I get overwhelmed very easily. I've used

it as a big excuse because I don't know

if you're this kind of person, but if I

walk into a gym and I don't know what to

do, I just get overwhelmed and I then

walk on a treadmill or I leave. And one

of the reasons why I'm able to be

successful at getting a walk-in every

day is cuz I know how to do it. It's

[laughter] not that intimidating and you

don't need equipment and you don't need

what to do and you don't need to manage

anything. You can do it anywhere you

are. So, I've been able to fit that in.

But I need to stop making excuses about

this. And I know what I need.

Everybody's talking about resistance

training and protein and proper

nutrition. And I just have to stop

making excuses about this. And I I need

to write this down. This has got to be

my number one thing because

it's a domino effect. The weeks I get

this right, I am a different human being

and I'm so sick of my excuses. And

there's probably something in your life

that you're just sick of yourself about

it. You're sick of the excuses. You're

sick of how it feels. I'm going to stop

comp nagging my husband. I'm going to

stop micromanaging my kids. I'm going to

stop checking my ex's location all the

time. I'm going to stop uh like whatever

it is for you. It's like I invite you to

think about the thing. And it's

important to have one. You can write

down a bunch more, but I really want you

to have a big one because then you're

going to be successful at it. And I

already know what I need to do. And that

brings me to the second question that

you're going to answer, which is what

are you going to continue doing? What

are you going to continue doing? And my

continue doing kind of ties to what I'm

going to stop doing. So, I'm going to

stop making excuses around exercise and

I'm going to come up with a 7-day plan.

Four of it involves resistance training.

Two upper body, two leg days. Boom.

We're done. I can do the same boring

exercises, 30 minutes or less. The other

three days, I get to do what I want. I

can walk. I can do Pilates. I can do

whatever I want. Okay? I'm going to

continue to lean into AI. And here's why

I want to do that. I use AI at work. We

have incredible tools that we have built

that are really amazing for how we run

business. But I realized I'm not leaning

into it in my personal life. And I had

this epiphany when we did an episode

this year about AI with an expert on AI.

And I just kept thinking about how

little I know about it when it comes to

how you can use it as a tool to help you

be more of yourself, to help you find

time to do the things that are super

meaningful for you. I mean, right now,

if I'm being honest with you, I kind of

use AI personally almost like uh Google.

You know, you type in something and

you're searching for something. And to

me, this is really important to just

share about because I really do think

women in particular, and those of you

that are a little bit older like me, as

a 57year-old woman, I do not want you to

be left behind. And women they estimate

are falling behind at a rate of like 25%.

25%.

And just consider that this moment is

sort of like saying, "Oh, [gasps]

I just don't want to learn email.

I don't want to use a cell phone." Okay,

well that's your choice. But how are you

going to connect with people? How are

you going to be successful in a job? How

are you going to be able to stay in

touch with your kids or your grandkids?

And on that topic, I want to know what

my kids are using. And I do have

concerns like you do about how fast AI

is evolving and how unregulated it

seems. I'm concerned about the impact on

the environment. I'm concerned about

privacy and about data. But how could I

possibly be an effective advocate for

regulation or change if I don't even use

it or understand it? It's easy to sit on

the sidelines and cross your arms and

complain about all the things that are

scary, but you're going to be much more

effective at being part of a positive

change if you actually understand how to

use it. And so, here's how I'm using it.

I figured out the other day because we

wanted to meet uh our son halfway

between where we live and where he lives

on a Sunday night in the middle of

nowhere in Vermont. And I asked it to

help me find all the options for places

midway that we could meet restaurants

that were actually open and that had a

place to walk the dogs within a mile of

the restaurant. Honest to God, this is

what I and it spit it out in like 10

seconds. I was like, what? And then I

asked it a few more. So, it helped me be

able to make decisions and connect with

oak. So, I'm going to continue leaning

into it because now that I've kind of

gotten a taste of how it can help me

I this is going to sound weird, but

almost feel a little bit more human like

I I don't want to spend time stressing

about that stuff. And so, I'm going to

continue leaning in and finding ways to

save time and solve problems so that I

can focus on the stuff that's meaningful

and that's it. And so, do you see how

stopping something doesn't mean a dead

end? Continuing something doesn't have

to feel like an obligation. and you're

kind of just rolling things forward.

Here's another thing I'm going to

continue. I am going to continue

scheduling time with friends in advance.

In fact, yesterday as I was getting

ready for this episode and I was

starting to scroll through my photos, I

saw that one of the highlights was going

to see friends in Montana. So, what do

we do? I said to Chris, "We got to see

those guys again. Please call the golf

course and please find if there's some

kind of tournament that we could all

do." And sure enough, Chris found a

tournament for next year in September.

And I'm going to and we and we sent a

text to our friends saying, "Hey, are

you guys available this weekend in

September next year?" So, I'm going to

continue being super proactive about

finding time for friends, scheduling

time with family,

finding events to go to because it makes

a difference. I'm also going to continue

going to concerts because two highlights

of my life were seeing Cole Play and

Noah Khan. I can't stop talking about it

and I got to continue doing that. Okay,

you see how this works? And so what are

you going to continue doing? Are you

going to continue to make time for your

family and your friends? Are you going

to continue to learn about AI or do

skill building things that you've been

wanting to make time for? Are you going

to continue to show up for your family?

Are you going to continue going to

school or continue like improving your

skills at work? What do you want to

continue doing? Continue seeing your

friends? Do you want to continue the

pickleball league? Do you want to

continue drinking more water and

hydrating and taking great care of

yourself? Do you want to continue that

evening routine? Do you want to continue

uh the morning walk and listening to

this podcast and audiobooks and other

things that really help you improve your

life and learn? Do you want to continue

to surround yourself with the people

that lift you up? Do you want to

continue to garden and pursue the

hobbies that really like make your heart

full? Do you want to continue to sing in

the church choir or continue learning

the guitar? And one of the things that I

hope you'll put on the list is that

you're going to continue using the let

them theory. That you're will continue

protecting your peace. You'll continue

uh really protecting your time and

energy. You'll continue to feel

empowered. You'll continue to work on

accepting people for who they are, who

they're not, and continue to draw better

boundaries around the people that gosh,

they just are who they are. And that's

never going to change. And so maybe

you're going to be one of the millions

and millions of people that say, you

know, I I'm going to continue using this

let them theory because boy, it's really

working. Okay, final question. What are

you going to start doing this year? This

is the question where you get clear on

what you're going to begin. And

remember, a start doesn't have to be

dramatic. Maybe you're going to start

walking with a neighbor three mornings a

week, or you're going to start a walking

group. I did that when I first moved to

Vermont. Guess what? It's something that

still continues. Maybe you're going to

start therapy. Maybe you'll start going

to bed 30 minutes earlier. And for real,

not sleeping next to your phone. For

real, like putting it in the other room.

Maybe you'll start showing up

differently at work. And you'll start

speaking up for yourself and sharing

your ideas in meetings. Maybe it's

traveling, even if it's just taking a

day trip or speaking another language.

You're going to start dating again

because this last year was the year that

you had your heart broken. Maybe you'll

start writing that book that you keep

putting on the back burner. Maybe you're

going to play the piano again. You

stopped when you had kids, but now that

you're an empty neester, now you're

going to start again. You know, I want you to rediscover all the fun and the

you to rediscover all the fun and the challenge of starting something new. And

challenge of starting something new. And when it comes to what I'm going to

when it comes to what I'm going to start, this is a big one. There's a lot

start, this is a big one. There's a lot of little things that I'm going to

of little things that I'm going to start, but I want to tell you about this

start, but I want to tell you about this big one. And I can't even believe that

big one. And I can't even believe that I'm saying this. This is the first time

I'm saying this. This is the first time I have said this out loud. I feel a

I have said this out loud. I feel a little weird. I have butterflies,

little weird. I have butterflies, but you're the first person that should

but you're the first person that should know. I am starting a new company, and I

know. I am starting a new company, and I can finally tell you about it. It's a

can finally tell you about it. It's a new company called Pure Genius. And I am

new company called Pure Genius. And I am so excited about this. I have not been

so excited about this. I have not been this excited about starting something

this excited about starting something new since I started the Mel Robbins

new since I started the Mel Robbins podcast. And this is a personal thing

podcast. And this is a personal thing that has happened for me. And so I kind

that has happened for me. And so I kind of want to tell you the story cuz you've

of want to tell you the story cuz you've heard me complaining about how this

heard me complaining about how this entire year a lot of the lows was that I

entire year a lot of the lows was that I was traveling and I let myself go and I

was traveling and I let myself go and I found it incredibly hard to eat healthy

found it incredibly hard to eat healthy and to get the amount of protein in that

and to get the amount of protein in that I needed and to build muscle. And I know

I needed and to build muscle. And I know you find it hard to do those things,

you find it hard to do those things, too. This goes back to the beginning of

too. This goes back to the beginning of the podcast. You know, I looked back at

the podcast. You know, I looked back at all the experts that have been on the

all the experts that have been on the Mel Robbins podcast. I have a list here.

Mel Robbins podcast. I have a list here. This all began back in June of 2023,

This all began back in June of 2023, episode number 77. We had Dr. Amy Shaw

episode number 77. We had Dr. Amy Shaw on and she is a triple board certified

on and she is a triple board certified Ivy League educated medical doctor who

Ivy League educated medical doctor who talks all about nutrition and health and

talks all about nutrition and health and she started talking all about the

she started talking all about the importance of protein. And then 10

importance of protein. And then 10 episodes later, she came back to talk

episodes later, she came back to talk about menopause and hormones and the

about menopause and hormones and the absolute critical nature of building

absolute critical nature of building muscle, of resistance training, and of

muscle, of resistance training, and of protein. And from that conversation on,

protein. And from that conversation on, because I'm in menopause, I have been

because I'm in menopause, I have been focused on how can I build more muscle,

focused on how can I build more muscle, how can I eat more protein, how can I

how can I eat more protein, how can I leverage all this science to manage all

leverage all this science to manage all the changes. And here's what I found. It

the changes. And here's what I found. It is so hard to stay on top of this. It is

is so hard to stay on top of this. It is so hard to get the amount of protein

so hard to get the amount of protein that you need. First it was Dr. Amy

that you need. First it was Dr. Amy Shaw. Then came Dr. Gabrielle Lions

Shaw. Then came Dr. Gabrielle Lions talking all about muscle centric health

talking all about muscle centric health and protein, protein, protein. And then

and protein, protein, protein. And then we had Dr. Vonda Wright, Dr. Stacy Sims,

we had Dr. Vonda Wright, Dr. Stacy Sims, which by the way, Dr. Stacy Sims came on

which by the way, Dr. Stacy Sims came on the podcast and she talked all about how

the podcast and she talked all about how essential protein and resistance

essential protein and resistance training is. This is the same Dr. Stacy

training is. This is the same Dr. Stacy Sims and the same episode that Apple

Sims and the same episode that Apple just named the number one most shared

just named the number one most shared episode of all podcasts in the world of

episode of all podcasts in the world of the entire year. And so when Dr. Stacy

the entire year. And so when Dr. Stacy Sims came on the podcast and with with

Sims came on the podcast and with with weights and weightlifting and was like,

weights and weightlifting and was like, "You got to get more protein." And I

"You got to get more protein." And I know you've heard this too. And here's

know you've heard this too. And here's what I found. It is so hard to get

what I found. It is so hard to get enough protein. I mean, between the egg

enough protein. I mean, between the egg bites and the chicken and the steak and

bites and the chicken and the steak and the vegan protein and the bars and and

the vegan protein and the bars and and you need to refrigerate this stuff and

you need to refrigerate this stuff and forget about it when you're traveling.

forget about it when you're traveling. Forget about it. I I don't know if

Forget about it. I I don't know if you're finding the same thing, but like,

you're finding the same thing, but like, oh my gosh, it is so hard. It is hard to

oh my gosh, it is so hard. It is hard to get the amount that the medical experts

get the amount that the medical experts are recommending. And I'm trying. I'm

are recommending. And I'm trying. I'm making the shakes. I'm doing the

making the shakes. I'm doing the smoothies. I'm getting the bowls. I'm

smoothies. I'm getting the bowls. I'm eating the chicken. I'm eating the eggs.

eating the chicken. I'm eating the eggs. I'm eating the fish. I'm eating the

I'm eating the fish. I'm eating the beef. I'm putting all the powders in.

beef. I'm putting all the powders in. I'm buying the bars. And I'm telling

I'm buying the bars. And I'm telling you, it is still hard to do. I mean,

you, it is still hard to do. I mean, there's only so many egg bites a person

there's only so many egg bites a person can eat. I knew I had a problem. I was

can eat. I knew I had a problem. I was having trouble solving it. I didn't know

having trouble solving it. I didn't know how to get more protein in. So, I just

how to get more protein in. So, I just started asking around. I asked all my

started asking around. I asked all my friends that are in the podcast space. I

friends that are in the podcast space. I asked my friends that were medical

asked my friends that were medical doctors. I started calling some of the

doctors. I started calling some of the doctors that appeared on this podcast.

doctors that appeared on this podcast. And one of the interesting thing is even

And one of the interesting thing is even some of the doctors said, you know,

some of the doctors said, you know, there's a real gap in terms of what's

there's a real gap in terms of what's available to people. And I'm looking for

available to people. And I'm looking for something that's a high quality clinical

something that's a high quality clinical grade protein source that somebody could

grade protein source that somebody could take in like a shot. And as I started

take in like a shot. And as I started talking about the problem that I had,

talking about the problem that I had, which is it's really hard to get quality

which is it's really hard to get quality protein in that you can trust to bridge

protein in that you can trust to bridge the gap, I bumped into a couple people

the gap, I bumped into a couple people who had been working on this problem.

who had been working on this problem. And they had developed a firstofits-kind

And they had developed a firstofits-kind protein shot. And I am so thrilled to

protein shot. And I am so thrilled to tell you that I have joined a company

tell you that I have joined a company called Pure Genius as a co-founder.

called Pure Genius as a co-founder. And I'm holding in my hand this

And I'm holding in my hand this innovative, revolutionary, new form

innovative, revolutionary, new form factor of protein. It's so cool. And you

factor of protein. It's so cool. And you want to know what's genius about it?

want to know what's genius about it? Inside these 3 ounces that fit in the

Inside these 3 ounces that fit in the palm of your hand is 23 g of a complete

palm of your hand is 23 g of a complete protein. It has all the amino acids that

protein. It has all the amino acids that all of the medical experts recommend

all of the medical experts recommend that you and I get for muscle building.

that you and I get for muscle building. And so this was a solution to a problem

And so this was a solution to a problem that I was facing, that everybody in my

that I was facing, that everybody in my life was facing. So as soon as I decided

life was facing. So as soon as I decided I was going to get involved, the first

I was going to get involved, the first phone call I made, can you guess? Dr.

phone call I made, can you guess? Dr. Dr. Amy Shaw, the medical expert that

Dr. Amy Shaw, the medical expert that had appeared on this podcast in 2023 and

had appeared on this podcast in 2023 and first taught me and you the importance

first taught me and you the importance of protein and building muscle,

of protein and building muscle, particularly when it comes to hormone

particularly when it comes to hormone health, when it comes to longevity. And

health, when it comes to longevity. And so I called her and I said, you know,

so I called her and I said, you know, Dr. Shaw, I am going to jump into this

Dr. Shaw, I am going to jump into this project. I'm really excited about it.

project. I'm really excited about it. Would you ever go to California with me

Would you ever go to California with me and go to the lab and kick the tires

and go to the lab and kick the tires with me because I'm not the expert in

with me because I'm not the expert in this, but you're the expert in this.

this, but you're the expert in this. You're triple board certified IVE

You're triple board certified IVE educated medical doctor who's

educated medical doctor who's recommending protein. Will you come and

recommending protein. Will you come and check this out? And she was like, of

check this out? And she was like, of course I will. So, we hopped on a plane.

course I will. So, we hopped on a plane. We went out to the labs in California.

We went out to the labs in California. We met the scientists. We were involved

We met the scientists. We were involved in the tasting. We looked at the

in the tasting. We looked at the ingredients. We changed things to make

ingredients. We changed things to make it better. We have been behind every

it better. We have been behind every single decision related to the roll out

single decision related to the roll out of this product. And here's the reason

of this product. And here's the reason why the name Pure Genius is perfect.

why the name Pure Genius is perfect. Because any tool that's simple, that is

Because any tool that's simple, that is trustworthy, that solves a problem, and

trustworthy, that solves a problem, and that's backed by research, and a normal

that's backed by research, and a normal busy person like you and me can fit it

busy person like you and me can fit it into a busy life without really

into a busy life without really thinking. That's genius. Now, it's not

thinking. That's genius. Now, it's not available to buy just yet, but I want

available to buy just yet, but I want you to get on the wait list if you're

you to get on the wait list if you're interested in learning more. And so, I'm

interested in learning more. And so, I'm not selling you anything. I'm just

not selling you anything. I'm just excited to tell you about this because

excited to tell you about this because it's everything that I try to be. It's a

it's everything that I try to be. It's a simple solution. It's smart and it's

simple solution. It's smart and it's easy to fit into a busy life and it's

easy to fit into a busy life and it's backed by science and research. Isn't

backed by science and research. Isn't that genius? I sure think it is. So, if

that genius? I sure think it is. So, if you want to learn more, just go to

you want to learn more, just go to puregeniusproin.com.

puregeniusproin.com. There's a wait list there. We don't have

There's a wait list there. We don't have any to sell you at the moment. It is

any to sell you at the moment. It is coming. But that's what I'm starting

coming. But that's what I'm starting this year. I'm starting a whole new

this year. I'm starting a whole new company. I have incredible co-founders.

company. I have incredible co-founders. I am so excited to share with you all

I am so excited to share with you all the research and everything that I've

the research and everything that I've learned about protein. I'm excited to

learned about protein. I'm excited to introduce you to our worldclass founding

introduce you to our worldclass founding scientific board. But I am honored to be

scientific board. But I am honored to be able to share that with you. And as you

able to share that with you. And as you think about what you want to start, you

think about what you want to start, you can either go big, you can go, but you

can either go big, you can go, but you got 12 months. You don't have to start a

got 12 months. You don't have to start a new company in January. I mean, I'm

new company in January. I mean, I'm telling you this and it's December. So,

telling you this and it's December. So, I've been working on it in the dark, but

I've been working on it in the dark, but I'm not technically starting it until

I'm not technically starting it until the end of this year. If you want to

the end of this year. If you want to start a business, write it down. If you

start a business, write it down. If you want to start getting more protein,

want to start getting more protein, write it down. If you want to start a

write it down. If you want to start a community vegetable garden, write it

community vegetable garden, write it down. If you want to start prioritizing

down. If you want to start prioritizing your health, you want to lose some

your health, you want to lose some weight, you want to get in better shape,

weight, you want to get in better shape, write it down. If you want to start

write it down. If you want to start talking to your kids more, creating a

talking to your kids more, creating a better relationship with them, like

better relationship with them, like maybe there's something that happened

maybe there's something that happened that strained your relationship and this

that strained your relationship and this is the year you're going to start to

is the year you're going to start to reconcile. Maybe you want to start to

reconcile. Maybe you want to start to bring music back into your life. And

bring music back into your life. And that might just mean having playlists

that might just mean having playlists that you love that are playing in the

that you love that are playing in the background at your house. Maybe this is

background at your house. Maybe this is the year you start to take your house

the year you start to take your house back. You're going to clean out the

back. You're going to clean out the attic. You're going to clean out the

attic. You're going to clean out the garage. You're going to clean out the

garage. You're going to clean out the back bedroom. And you're going to turn

back bedroom. And you're going to turn it into the home office or the guest

it into the home office or the guest bedroom or, you know, the crafting room

bedroom or, you know, the crafting room that you've always wanted. Speaking of

that you've always wanted. Speaking of crafting, maybe this is the year you're

crafting, maybe this is the year you're going to start that hobby that brings

going to start that hobby that brings you so much joy that you've been

you so much joy that you've been thinking about but you didn't find time

thinking about but you didn't find time for. Maybe this is the year you start

for. Maybe this is the year you start saying no. Maybe it's the year you start

saying no. Maybe it's the year you start saying yes. Maybe this is the year you

saying yes. Maybe this is the year you start getting up earlier

start getting up earlier and you create a beautiful morning

and you create a beautiful morning routine for yourself. You've been

routine for yourself. You've been thinking about it. You've been learning

thinking about it. You've been learning about it. But this is the year you start

about it. But this is the year you start doing it. What matters is that whatever

doing it. What matters is that whatever it is that you want to start that it

it is that you want to start that it pulls you toward a version of your life

pulls you toward a version of your life and yourself that feels good. And if

and yourself that feels good. And if that idea scares you a little bit, well,

that idea scares you a little bit, well, that's a sign that you're really

that's a sign that you're really reaching for something that matters. I

reaching for something that matters. I I'll tell you, when I look backwards at

I'll tell you, when I look backwards at why I'm starting pure genius, I can see

why I'm starting pure genius, I can see how the dots connect, I can see

how the dots connect, I can see organically that all of these medical

organically that all of these medical experts that showed up on the podcast

experts that showed up on the podcast and started dropping these kernels of

and started dropping these kernels of important wisdom, that was opening up in

important wisdom, that was opening up in some something inside me. But I can also

some something inside me. But I can also see that as I've had friends, much like

see that as I've had friends, much like how I got inspired to launch the

how I got inspired to launch the podcast, I noticed friends were starting

podcast, I noticed friends were starting podcasts and I felt myself like, "Oh, I

podcasts and I felt myself like, "Oh, I think I might want to do something like

think I might want to do something like that." As I've noticed friends of mine

that." As I've noticed friends of mine starting small businesses. I have a

starting small businesses. I have a friend that started a granola business,

friend that started a granola business, you know, just a local one, selling it

you know, just a local one, selling it locally. I have another friend that

locally. I have another friend that started, you know, their own beverage.

started, you know, their own beverage. That was kind of cool to watch. I felt

That was kind of cool to watch. I felt myself being pulled towards it. And

myself being pulled towards it. And these are important things to pay

these are important things to pay attention to because what you may write

attention to because what you may write down that you want to start, it may have

down that you want to start, it may have actually been set in motion years ago.

actually been set in motion years ago. You may have been felt pulled towards it

You may have been felt pulled towards it years ago, but you've just been saying,

years ago, but you've just been saying, "I'm too old. I don't know how to do

"I'm too old. I don't know how to do that." Things like that don't happen for

that." Things like that don't happen for a person like me. I'm not smart enough.

a person like me. I'm not smart enough. It's too late to start. But when you

It's too late to start. But when you write down, this is the year I'm going

write down, this is the year I'm going to start writing that novel. This is the

to start writing that novel. This is the year I'm gonna start writing that

year I'm gonna start writing that business plan for the restaurant I've

business plan for the restaurant I've always wanted to open. This is the year

always wanted to open. This is the year I'm going to start learning how to

I'm going to start learning how to create a YouTube channel and monetize

create a YouTube channel and monetize it. I'm going to start making money

it. I'm going to start making money online. I'm going to start a real estate

online. I'm going to start a real estate business.

business. As you write that down, you are pulling

As you write that down, you are pulling those things that are in your heart and

those things that are in your heart and in your mind outside of you and you're

in your mind outside of you and you're making them real by writing them on the

making them real by writing them on the paper. Because as I leaned into the

paper. Because as I leaned into the thing I'm starting, I realized I'd been

thing I'm starting, I realized I'd been kind of nudged in that direction for

kind of nudged in that direction for quite some time. I guess I just wasn't

quite some time. I guess I just wasn't ready to start just yet.

ready to start just yet. But when you take the time and you write

But when you take the time and you write down,

down, this is what I'm going to start doing.

this is what I'm going to start doing. You take it from an idea and you turn it

You take it from an idea and you turn it into a reality.

into a reality. That's the first step. Like you have no

That's the first step. Like you have no idea

idea what you're capable of. You have no idea

what you're capable of. You have no idea what's possible in your life.

what's possible in your life. But one thing is for sure,

But one thing is for sure, you will never figure that out if you

you will never figure that out if you don't find the courage to write down

don't find the courage to write down what you're going to start doing this

what you're going to start doing this year. You now have laid the groundwork

year. You now have laid the groundwork for the best year ever because you are

for the best year ever because you are clear about who you are. You are clear

clear about who you are. You are clear about what matters to you. You are

about what matters to you. You are courageous about the things that you

courageous about the things that you hold in your heart that are possible for

hold in your heart that are possible for you. and you have written them down. And

you. and you have written them down. And that right there is how you create the

that right there is how you create the best year ever. And I promise you, there

best year ever. And I promise you, there is something about this exercise. You're

is something about this exercise. You're going to want to do it again and again

going to want to do it again and again and again. It's that cool. It's that

and again. It's that cool. It's that powerful. I'm so excited that you're

powerful. I'm so excited that you're here. I'm so excited that you have your

here. I'm so excited that you have your workbook. Again, you can get that at

workbook. Again, you can get that at melrobins.com/bestyear.

melrobins.com/bestyear. I want to thank you for sharing this

I want to thank you for sharing this with people in your life because when

with people in your life because when they're energized, I'm so energized

they're energized, I'm so energized about this new thing I'm doing. And

about this new thing I'm doing. And that's why I want you to swing for the

that's why I want you to swing for the fences when you do start. Because if you

fences when you do start. Because if you take on something that you don't know

take on something that you don't know how to do, you take on something that's

how to do, you take on something that's new, you take on something that you're

new, you take on something that you're interested in, it infuses you with so

interested in, it infuses you with so much excitement. It makes you

much excitement. It makes you interesting. It makes your life

interesting. It makes your life interesting simply to take something on

interesting simply to take something on where you're going to learn and you're

where you're going to learn and you're going to grow. And boy, do I want that

going to grow. And boy, do I want that for you. And in case no one else tells

for you. And in case no one else tells you, I wanted to be sure to tell you

you, I wanted to be sure to tell you that I love you and I believe in you and

that I love you and I believe in you and I believe in your ability to create a

I believe in your ability to create a better life. [music] And what you and I

better life. [music] And what you and I just did today is the step-by-step road

just did today is the step-by-step road map for how you do it. All righty. I

map for how you do it. All righty. I will be waiting for you in the very next

will be waiting for you in the very next [music] episode. I'll welcome you in the

[music] episode. I'll welcome you in the moment you hit play. Thank you. Thank

moment you hit play. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for watching all the way

you. Thank you for watching all the way to the [music] end here on YouTube. Do

to the [music] end here on YouTube. Do not forget to get your workbook. Thank

not forget to get your workbook. Thank you for sharing this with people that

you for sharing this with people that you care about. Thank you also for

you care about. Thank you also for hitting subscribe. I mean, of all

hitting subscribe. I mean, of all episodes, [music] this is one to hit

episodes, [music] this is one to hit subscribe. It's free and it's how you

subscribe. It's free and it's how you say, "Hey Mel, thanks for showing up and

say, "Hey Mel, thanks for showing up and supporting me. Hey Mel's team, thanks

supporting me. Hey Mel's team, thanks for showing up and supporting me with

for showing up and supporting me with all this free stuff." [music] Yeah, I'm

all this free stuff." [music] Yeah, I'm going to hit subscribe because I like

going to hit subscribe because I like supporting people who support me [music]

supporting people who support me [music] and that's all that we're trying to do

and that's all that we're trying to do here. So, thanks for watching all the

here. So, thanks for watching all the way to the end. And now you're like,

way to the end. And now you're like, "Okay, well, what should I watch next?"

"Okay, well, what should I watch next?" Uh, I think you're going to love this

Uh, I think you're going to love this one. And I'll welcome you in the moment

one. And I'll welcome you in the moment you hit play.

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YouTube Transcript:How to Make 2026 the Best Year: 6 Questions to Ask Yourself