Like you, I started 2025 with the best intentions. My words for the year were self-care and balance. I pictured slow mornings, clocking out at 5 pm, and space to breathe while still thriving in business. After a year of full-tilt hustle, I was set on practicing what I preach.
And then… I didn’t.
Instead, I focused on more and more. I launched more scents. I overcommitted. Life did its thing. Suddenly, I was stretched thin, running on fumes, and carrying a low-grade guilt for still not doing enough that never quite left.
The irony is that self-care became another task on my to-do list. Something I felt bad for not doing, and then weirdly, still felt bad when I was resting. If you’ve ever tried to relax while mentally drafting emails and putting together tomorrow’s tasks, then you know the feeling.
The balanced, dreamy year where business and personal life coexisted effortlessly didn’t happen. But I learned something important along the way.
Rest isn’t rest if it isn’t intentional.
Instead of chalking this year up as a failure (it wasn’t, it was my best year in business yet!), I’m choosing to treat burnout as feedback. So as I look ahead to 2026, I won’t be chasing balance. I’m choosing something more grounded and realistic. Which brings me to my word of the year and the principle guiding everything forward:
Intention
But not as a “vibe” or vague promise. I’m looking at it through the question: What actually matters right now?
Intention pulls me out of future-tripping and back into the present. When I’m in constant hustle mode, I’m living five steps ahead in overthinking mode. Intention asks me to notice how now feels.
Still, a word alone isn’t enough. So, here’s the steps I intend to use to make it a practice.
Do less to do more
I’m auditing my life: personal and business.
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Where is time going?
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Where is energy going?
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And, what am I actually getting in return?
Anything that drains more than it gives is being reconsidered to create the space to do the things that matter well.
For CarteHaus, that means fewer launches (but the ones that are coming… just you wait) and focusing on the scents you love the most.
Layer fun into the not-so-fun
One of the biggest blockers to balance for me has always been overwhelm and the procrastination that comes with it (social media, I’m looking at you). So by the time you HAVE to do the thing, you’re rushing, you’re stressed, and you’re wondering why you didn’t start before.
And some tasks are just boring. Necessary, but boring. You know the ones.
Instead of fighting that reality and hating every second, I’m pairing effort with enjoyment.
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Playing my favorite Dirty Heads record while editing a Canva social media post
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Lighting a candle and making a mocktail before doing my bookkeeping
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Listening to an audiobook while folding laundry
Joy doesn’t have to wait until the work is done. Pleasure and productivity don’t have to live in separate lanes. Remember, we’re all about elevating the routine here.
Presence with the people (and moments) that matter
Busyness is sneaky and has a way of stealing presence. Thinking about what needs to be done while you’re with your partner, your family, or your pet quietly robs the moment of its sweetness.
I’m choosing focus over multitasking. Phone away. Do not disturb. Fewer distractions and more slowness so I can listen, soak up the moment, and fully savor it.
As a candle company founder who is scent-obsessed, I’m also using scent as an anchor, a way to mark time and memory. Lighting a specific candle during my morning routine, a different one for shared dinners, and another one for solo evenings creates a sensory cue that pulls me back into the now. A reminder that I’m here.
What Intention Means for CarteHaus in 2026
It looks like slow, sustainable growth over aggressive scaling.
It means:
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Fewer new scents, but true to our mission of creating unexpected and sophisticated blends you’ll want in your home
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Continuing work towards our long-term goal to build a more sustainable future within self-care
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Focusing on the markets and retail partners that have worked best for us
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Nurturing our existing community even more, and growing it
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Doubling down on the scents you already love and being mindful of overproducing. If we sell out, we will sell out!
Thank you for being here and sticking with us. For burning our candles in your quiet moments and making CarteHaus part of your everyday rituals. I’m excited for you to see what we have coming this year and to connect with you more through our blog and more intentional presence on social and email.
As I close this blog and step into 2026, I’d love to leave you with some questions to help you reflect:
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How are you approaching this season with intention?
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What are you protecting?
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What matters most to you right now?
If you’re craving more intention in your everyday routines (the fun and dull), take our scent quiz, remove the guessing, and find the best scent for you.