24 Dec My 2025 ta-daaaa list and 2026 Principles
Just learned about the *ta-daaaaa* list, from my friend Yasmin Vantuykom.
Ever heard of these?
It’s basically a list of things you’re proud of having accomplished (instead of only ever fixating on the hundreds of things you need to/could do/should do.)
2025 was my first entire calendar year of self-employment, running my breath- and body-oriented coaching & retreats business. (I still can’t really believe I’m actually doing this!)
There’s lots of great stuff about it:
The flexibility, the intellectual challenge, doing something I believe is meaningful…
BUT…
As you might expect, the level of self-motivation and self-belief required, day after day, is pretty relentless.
So, if you’ll indulge me: I’m going to pat myself on the back just a little bit for some of the things I’ve done this year. No big end of year review. No major goal-setting. Just a quick run-down of what I’m most excited about from this year, plus the 3 principles I’ll take with me in 2026.
🔹 15 private coaching clients
Out of everything, probably most proud of the reflections of these incredible people I got to work with.
From Commercial Directors, to a Neurotech startup founder, to an Investment Fund General Partner, to Software Developer, to IT specialist.
All highly ambitious, curious, driven people who want to perform at their best, understand their physiology, and find a healthy balance between focus and recovery.
My coaching is not about slowing down. It’s about capacity building. I have lots to learn, but the testimonials show me that I’m moving in the right direction. The job titles show me I’m attracting the right people for me as a coach.
🔹 My coaching framework: Nervous System Potential
Based on everything I’ve learned and experimented with myself, I’m building a systematic approach to nervous system training. No quick fixes. No hacks.
I’m sure this framework will be an ever-evolving thing but I’m so excited by what I’ve put together over the past year. There’s a lot of superficial, over-hyped stuff out there. A lot of empty promises just to make a quick buck. I don’t ever want to contribute to that. In my programs, we look at sleep, breathing mechanics, nervous system safety, state awareness, CO2 tolerance, embodied self-awareness. I care about science, rigour, and depth.
It can sometimes feel like I’m going too slow, but deep down I know this is the right approach for me. I have a vision I’m excited to build on.
That brings me to my first principle for 2026:
Narrow Focus. Go Deep, Not Wide.
Basically: do less, and do it better. Focus on the framework I’m building. Iterate on that. I don’t need more information. I definitely don’t need more courses or certifications. I’m in this work for the pursuit of excellence and finding deep fulfilment in the work I do. That requires narrow focus and patience.
🔹 The first breathwork + freediving retreat
In November, freediving instructor Markus Mutter and I brought together 8 people on the beautiful island of Lanzarote, for 6 days of freediving and breathwork.
A group of strangers. A beautiful villa overlooking the mountains. Daily breath awareness, diving, hiking, and long chats on the terrace without a single screen in sight.
This was our first time running a retreat, and it honestly topped all of my expectations. In-person experiences, human-to-human, breathing and moving together—that’s what I want to do more of in 2026. So simple, yet so necessary.
We already have dates set for 2026: 15-20 June and 20-26 November. Check out the details and let me know if you’re interested!
🔹 A series of workshops on stress and physiology for Google’s DevWeek
Thanks to my good friend Connor Swenson, I had the opportunity to design and deliver a series of workshops for Google’s gTech Dev Week Recharge program, on the stress response and our biological rhythms.
I’ve learned that this is where I’m truly in my element. Pulling a learning experience together. Simplifying the science. Crafting exercises to help people reflect and implement.
The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. The program organizer said the sessions “received the highest scores of any of our program offerings”, and participants shared feedback like “mastery of subject, great presenter, calming atmosphere” and “super relatable, with applicable prompts to make immediate tweaks.” 🥰
(For someone who once had a panic attack while pulling together a client presentation on “Best practices for pharma brands on TikTok” back in my advertising agency days—this felt pretty amazing. I used to think it was me who couldn’t handle the pressure. Now I just know I was in the wrong industry, and everything changes once you’re working on something that’s aligned with who you are and what you care about.)
PS – I’m delivering one of the workshops, Power Rhythms, on January 21, 2026. A 2-hour live, interactive workshop where you’ll learn practical tools to work more in alignment with your internal rhythms, improving sleep, energy and focus. Sign up here.
🔹 Functional Breathwork Sessions in our local park
One of my personal goals this year was to build more of a local network in Lisbon. Meet more new people, in a different way. I decided to organize free morning breathwork sessions in the park.
Meet at 8 am for 45 minutes of functional breathing and sensory awareness exercises.
I did 8 of these sessions in total, and got so much out of it. Met new people. Strengthened my facilitation skills. Learned to get over my embarrassment of sitting in a public space with my eyes closed.
Definitely picking this up again in the new year, as it directly ties into my second principle: Expanding my Luck Surface Area. Less time behind the screen. More time in the world, talking to people and letting them experience what I do. Luck and opportunities come from an optimal balance between Doing and Telling. I’m pretty good at the Doing piece, and need to get better at the Telling!
🔹 A second nose-breathing-only marathon
Ran my second marathon only nose breathing, and this time with my mouth taped (as a little publicity stunt 😉)
As a breath- and body-oriented coach, I know I have more interest than most in exploring the breath however I deeply believe that everyone would benefit from training nose breathing during exercise. So I’ll continue to spread the word—with my clients, and on my runs!
That brings me to my final principle:
Work Like an Athlete.
Be obsessive about work and rest. Eat well. Sleep well. Daily breathwork. Treat movement as a container for creativity, not an interruption from work. So training for a marathon, going for daily walks, squeezing a yoga class into the afternoon—these are all part of work for me.
Wooooop. Lots to be excited about, and feeling ready for 2026!
As I said, I’m not setting specific goals but I’m focusing on 3 core principles in everything I do:
- Narrow focus. Go deep, not wide.
- Expand my Luck Surface Area: Telling x Doing = Luck.
- Work like an athlete. Be equally obsessive about work and recovery.
If I can pull that off, I’m excited to see what 2026’s *ta-daaa* list will look like!
Thanks for being here, and I hope this inspired you to pull together your own list. There’s always more to be proud of than we think, once we really take the time to list it out ☺️