Who are you in 2026?

Have you achieved your 10,000 steps today? Learnt five new dynamic ways to say no, and practised at least three of them on your boss? Eaten any protein at all?

Life today can feel like you’re constantly trying to navigate the pressure to do more, be more. Open any social platform and you can be swamped with life hacks, expert hot takes, and ridiculously capable people telling you how to ‘be better’. With Meta sharpening its ad targeting and personalisation tools, our feeds can resemble a stream of ‘musts’ and ‘shoulds’ – how to eat, sleep, parent, apply eyeliner, and live forever. In a wobbly moment, it’s enough to make you wonder, ‘Who even am I? And is it enough?’

Brand strategist and self-development expert Samantha Saw sees this confusion manifesting everywhere, especially as an Aussie expat in Singapore. Living overseas demands a transitional existence where comparison culture, endless lifestyle options, and an underlying demand to ‘never fall behind’ can feel overwhelming. While self-improvement is always positive, Samantha notes that “everywhere we turn, there’s this unspoken expectation to keep up.” She continues, “Identity has become performance, and self-expression has evolved into a strategy. Platforms are overflowing with unsolicited advice from strangers offering a never-ending carousel of benchmarking disguised as inspiration.”

Returning to self

Exhausted? Us too! By trying to stay afloat, many of us are guilty of being so over-influenced by outside voices that we’ve drifted away from our own, so it’s no wonder we’re starting 2026 feeling a little lost. When people feel this way, Samantha believes the answer isn’t to consider a rebrand, but a return. The remedy isn’t in another unattainable new year resolution, wild reinvention, or crazy overhaul. It’s in something far simpler: realigning with who you actually are.

“It’s never been easier to curate your life online, but staying connected to your own essence has become harder than ever,” Samantha says. But how do you find your way back to your centre amidst overwhelm? To help begin this process, Samantha shares the practical habits she uses with clients in her own life who are looking to determine what makes them tick. “The first step is to make space for silence,” she says. “Switch off the background commentators, and stop the scrolling and ongoing stimuli. Even ten minutes a day of quiet can help you to start hearing your own thoughts again. Use small pockets of time – in the shower, cooking, commuting – to let your mind wander.” Then it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty with some heartfelt questions.

“Many of us are guilty of being so over-influenced by outside voices that we’ve drifted away from our own”

Pay attention

“Ask yourself: what do I actually want? What fills my cup? What feels true for me, that’s not just on-trend or approved?” says Samantha. “Consider how you feel when you’re being creative, solving problems, meeting new people, or building something from scratch.” Pay attention to what sparks joy and ease (or not!) as you delve deeper, and use this as a valuable guide.

It’s important to write your answers down on paper. Don’t overthink them – just highlight what comes up. “The more you focus on what matters to you, what you value, and what you may be missing right now, you’ll naturally start to feel more in tune again,” Samantha promises. “The key is to revisit your questions and answers every few days. What you note down today doesn’t have to be your choice tomorrow. Over time, you’ll notice patterns – your natural rhythm, and your most authentic and happiest self.”

Honour your story

In addition, Samantha highlights the book ‘The Art of Noticing’ where author Rob Walker calls our modern state one of “attention panic”. In a world of constant input, Rob’s antidote is super simple: make time for noticing. Step outside without your phone and focus on what’s happening around you. The light through the trees, children at a playground, the clatter of a mahjong game. “You’ll almost always come back feeling clearer and more grounded,” Samantha says.

Lastly, perform two check-ins in the evening: Ask: what felt like me today? What didn’t? Doing this will bring you back to your authenticity. Remember that the more you blend in, the more invisible you become, but when you honour your own story, you stand out without trying.

As the year accelerates, digital chatter continues to infiltrate your routine, and the external push for an extreme overhaul creeps in, pause and check in with your own reflections, priorities, and values. As Samantha concludes: “Owning who you are, your creativity, and your unique expression is your edge. You step away from echoing the thoughts and opinions of others and start leading. A brand, like a person, changes tone as it matures, sheds layers that no longer fit, and finds new ways to express what’s always been true at its core.”

And isn’t the same true for people? Here’s to not making 2026 the year to become someone else, but becoming more, unapologetically yourself.