Inside Marcy's Mind

Little Habits, Big Joy: Movies, Music, Kindness, and Tiny Systems To Jumpstart 2026

• Marcy • Season 1 • Episode 67

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If big, shiny resolutions always leave you drained by February, here’s a gentler way to set the year in motion. We explore how small, human-sized choices can spark real joy and steady momentum, from the comfort of a favorite movie to the energy lift of a shower playlist. Instead of chasing perfection, we trade pressure for presence, and watch how tiny, repeatable actions change the feel of a day.

We start with emotional anchors that actually work: rewatchable films that ground your mood, songs that cue calm or spark fun, and one simple kitchen win—like a homemade salad dressing—that reminds you progress can be delicious. Then we turn outward: everyday kindness that brightens strangers and boomerangs back to you, handwritten thank-you notes that feel timeless, and micro-gestures like holding the elevator that make a city feel more human. There’s also “free therapy” in nature and animals, from petting a dog to rescuing a droopy houseplant with a new pot and a little care.

As the conversation deepens, we invite you to revive a past hobby—the instrument you loved, the craft you abandoned, the project you half-finished—and give it twenty focused minutes. Small sparks can unlock big creative seasons. To support it all, we set tiny systems: mood-based playlists, sticky notes for “future you,” and a commitment to finish one lingering task. We close with a reminder that matters more than any checklist: speak kindly to yourself, especially at year’s end. If you want a happier 2026, start where your feet are and make one small change today.

If this message hit home, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs a softer start, and leave a quick review telling us the one small spark you’ll try this week.

SPEAKER_00:

Hello, and welcome to Inside Marcy's Mind. My name is Marcy Backis, and I am your host. Well, that's annoying music. I don't know if I like that or not. But nonetheless, that was our music today. And today we are here and we are going to be talking about little things we can do to jumpstart 2026. And I'm not talking big stuff. I'm not talking like overhaul the kitchen. I'm going to give you all kinds of little pieces of advice and things to do that are very simple. I hope everybody had a great Thanksgiving. I just want to let you know that the exact same content will be on my Aging Aim for Sissies podcast. So if you listen to one or the other, this time they're going to be very similar. Just because I basically thought this was great information that both podcasts could use, and I wanted to share it. So that's that. We're coming to the end of the year. We're looking at things. And I just thought it'd be fun to have some few small things that you could do. Everything always seems so grand, big giant gestures, stuff we had to do. And uh, you know, we may not feel like it. We may just want little tiny things to do. So that's what I'm going to be sharing with you today. Uh, weather here's been crazy, cold, snowy, but just fine. I, you know, I don't go out when I don't have to go out. And if I don't feel like walking to the gym, I drive. So I still go work out, I do what I need to do. And if I don't feel like walking on slippery streets, I don't. This afternoon, when I'm done with this, I'm gonna head off and I'm gonna go see Wicked for Good. And uh looking forward to that. I don't go to the movies very often, but I am gonna go today. So hang in there, sit back, relax, and we are gonna talk about just some small changes we can make to make 2026 a better year. All right, what can we do? What can we do to jumpstart 2026? I found this information in Real Simple magazine, so if you get it, you'll have the information. But I will tell you one of the ways to brighten your year is to watch an old favorite movie. What's yours? I'll tell you, my go-to favorite movie is Steel Magnolias, but always will be. It is just, I know what I'm getting. I'm getting a great movie with great actresses, all about women relationships, and there's not much more I can ask for in a movie. As a matter of fact, this afternoon I'm gonna go see Wicked for Good. I haven't seen that one yet, so I'm gonna go see that. But I I love a woman movie. I love a movie about women relationships, and I think far and wide, Steel Magnolias is still the best. Nothing heals the soul faster than revisiting a movie you've seen many times. You can quote it verbatim. Come sit right next to me. I mean, there's just uh so many things. Well, I'm sorry, I didn't even tell that quote right. If you don't have anything nice to say, come sit right next to me. And that was of the great Olivia Dukakis. Um, didn't do it much justice, but I can quote Um It's like emotional mac and cheese, right? Seeing a movie that just fills your heart with goodness. So, what do you think about that for a way to start? So at our age, what rewatching a movie is great because half the time we forgot the plot anyway, which is true. You ever re-watch something and thinking, oh my gosh, I didn't remember any of this? Yes, I have, and it's crazy. Congratulations. You've just created your own cinematic multiverse. So, yeah, I'm gonna tell you, rewatch that movie. Make a shower playlist. Now, yes, a specific playlist for shower concerts. Because if Beyatze can have an arena tour, you can have a tile and steam stadia experience. Here's a pro tip: don't choose songs that require choreography. We don't need anyone doing hair flip moves and throwing out their neck. Absolutely for sure. But I'm gonna tell you when I um I have a um one of those Amazon, I don't want to say her name. You know her. It starts with an A in my bathroom. And I just tell it to put on 70s music when I get in there, and it plays all the feel good songs that uh I don't know about you, but songs help me reminisce. They bring back times, they bring back experiences, they bring back places, and they bring back people. I think music is magic that way. So start yourself your own shower playlist. Try a recipe you've been saving. How many cutouts do you have? How many saved Instagram recipes do you have? How many things do you save thinking one day, one day, one day? So I'm gonna tell you. This is risky behavior. Every time I save a recipe, it requires 42 steps, six bowls, three hours in a grocery haul, but costs the same as a weekend in Cancun. So when I'm telling you to try a new recipe, try something simple, something easy, something that sparks joy. Don't remodel your kitchen. Don't buy all new pots and pans. Create a new recipe. You know what? Make your own homemade salad dressing. I will tell you, nothing changes a salad more than making your own dressing. My mom always made all her dressings. My favorite place to grab a salad here in my neighborhood is Paisano's. And the reason is the salad is fabulous. It's a chopped chicken salad with all kinds of goodies in it. But they make all their dressings in-house. And my favorite combo is take a little Italian, a little blue cheese, mix it up, and chef's kiss. So try a recipe. Make your own salad dressings. Do something easy. Don't remodel your kitchen. Find something that sparks some joy in you. All right, the next thing we can do to spark some joy in 2026. Kindness that actually makes you feel better. Kindness that actually makes you feel better. You know, being kind makes you feel better. If you're grouchy and you're out in the world, it doesn't help anyone. If you can find that little part in you, even on a bad day, that can smile and make somebody's day better, do it. My friend Shane is great at that. He showers people with compliments. He he just is a ray of sunshine that way. And I've tried to take his lead. I'll walk down the street. And if I like something somebody's wearing, I'll tell them. And you should see how it lights up their face. Do something simple that way. Another thing you can do is write a thank you note, not a text, not a thumbs up emoji, but a real note on paper with handwriting. Remember how to do that? It's that thing we used before Siri started taking dictation with an attitude, and that is a factoroo. When you send someone a thank you note, it not only brightens their day, it makes you feel like a classy lady from a bygone era, like Eleanor Roosevelt. But with Arthur's, that's a fact and a half. Um I talked about it a little bit earlier, but give someone a compliment. Tell them something, tell them their hair looks great, their sweater is a whole mood, your energy today is giving main character. It's important. Hold the door for someone. You know, find those tiny bits of kindness, and it's not only gonna change their day, it's gonna change yours. Trust me on this. Living in a big city, I ride an elevator four or five times a day. Hold the door for someone, it makes them feel good. Somebody's hands are full, push the button for them. These are things I do in my daily life that make a difference. They make a difference to me, but they also make a difference to the person that I help. Tiny kindness, big heart shift. Good karma. Banked. Not that we're trying to bank karma, but you know, it never ever hurts to bank a little karma. Nature and animals, free therapy. Okay. So for me, the greatest thing of living in a high-rise is getting in the elevator and seeing a dog. I love to talk to the dogs. I love to talk to the owners, but I'm always very respectful. I got in the other day and there was an Irish setter, some Irishy looking dog. Anyway I could tell the owner was training. So I looked straight ahead and I just said, I can see that you're training. I said, even though it's crushing my soul, I will not talk to your dog, but I just want you to know I want to. And he appreciated that. Because when you move into a high-rise and you've got to take your animals up and down an elevator, they have to have some decorum and it takes some training. So I always, as much as I want to talk to that doggone dog and pet it, I am very respectful of that. So petting dogs is great. Make sure petting dogs is instant serotonin. And the dog is thrilled. They're like, oh, humans touching me. I love it. They're telling me I'm pretty. The tag is wailing, waggling. If you don't have a dog, find a dog. Walking down the street. If you're afraid of dogs, sorry, I don't have anything for you. I guarantee if you go to Starbucks, you'll find one sitting outside. Not in Chicago, but in California, you will. Plants. House plants. That house light that you've been plant that you've been gaslighting for a year saying you're fine, take a look at it. It's not. Repot something. Look at your plants around your house. Make them happy. Get a new pot. Go to home goods. Y'all know we love to go to home goods. Go to home goods. Pick out a new pot for your sad little plant in your house. I happen to be really good at plants. And my friend Joan sent me an orchid. Four orchids to be exact. Huge orchids in this beautiful. Oh, she sends me the most gorgeous orchids. I can't tell you. This one is the most stunning. Just stunning. And it makes me so happy. She made me happy. She sparked a little joy in me. So save your plant, fix them, read what's wrong with them, do something, help your plant. That'll bring you some joy. How about some little joys for no reason? Just because. Do something spontaneous and fun. But spontaneous at our age may mean something different. Not planned 48 hours event, not requiring orthopedic shoes, not involving a surprise bill, but something spontaneous. Last night I went to the Art Institute with my friend Mary, and we sat in on a lecture. And I thought we were just going and coming home. And she goes, let's go down to Remington's and get some dinner. And, you know, I wasn't expecting dinner, and it was just fabulous. We walked in freezing cold weather, I might say 10 degrees, but it wasn't windy, so it wasn't bad. It's dry, it's a dry cold. Oh my God, I can't believe I'm saying that. We hustled our bustle down Michigan Avenue and stepped into a beautiful restaurant and had a lovely meal and a good conversation. Again, not expected. It was fabulous. So what are some things you can do spontaneously? Eat dessert first. Or eat dessert and don't eat the meal at all. Call a friend just to laugh. Taking a different route to the grocery store or to the bank, or if you're still working to work. Take a different route. You might see something new. Dance in the kitchen like no one is watching because they aren't. They're all on TikTok. That's a fact. You know, this one's an interesting one, but I, you know, I gift myself a lot. But if you're not into gifting yourself, I am. Um give yourself something small just because. Pick out a beautiful candle. Get a fancy soap. If you're walking down the street and you pass Ghillelli's, I did this the other day. I went in and had a hot fudge Sunday. Middle of the day, middle of the week, for no flipping reason at all. Our Ghidardelli here on Michigan Avenue is overlooking the river. I sat on a stool, ate my hot fudge Sunday, and looked out at the beautiful river. All the river cruise tours are, their boats are decorated for Christmas. It was so fun. Do something unexpectedly nice for yourself. Maybe you painted. Maybe you baked. Maybe you did yoga until your knees filed a formal complaint. Whatever it is, go back to doing something that made you feel like you. We spend so much time involving that sometimes we forget who we were before email mortgages in whatever decade the horizon teams tried to ruin. Think about it. Go back to your younger self. Did you play the guitar? Did you sing? Did you play the cello? Play the violin. What did you do? Go back. Find that. And you know doing it's gonna bring back that joy that you had when you were young. Make life easier with tiny systems. So here's just some ideas. You know, there's nothing I love more than an organizational hack, a time saver, something like that. So here I'm gonna give you a few little things. Create more playlists. We talked about creating the shower playlist. Create a happy playlist, all your favorite songs that spark joy, a chill playlist, a playlist that brings you down in a good way, not in a bad way, but takes that mood from high up here and your energy going to relaxed and chill and ready to just slide into the night. Create yourself a couple of playlists. Write yourself a note. Future you will appreciate it. Especially if you reach the stage in life where you walk into a room and immediately forget why you're there. A note can save lives. Notes are great. Put them around the house if there's something you're forgetting, or just a note to tell yourself you're great. Revisit something you've shelved. Is there a book that you're halfway through that you never finished? Go back to it. A cookbook. Do you have have you bought some cookbooks and you've never cooked anything out of it? Go back to what we talked about earlier. Pick something in that cookbook and cook it. A project, half done project. Do you have any of those? Go back and finish it. A hobby that you used to do, start it up again. The book you pretended to read for book club? Read it. Just a reminder: little sparks relight big parts of us. All the things I've talked about today are small tiny sparks. But these sparks can ignite flames. I can remember years ago, gosh, probably 15 years ago now, Debbie, Mary, and I took a cookie, uh a cake decorating class. Mary and I were fine. We managed to get through the class. We made a couple of decent-looking cakes. We learned how to make a rosette and a shell border. But in our friend Debbie, it sparked a new hobby. And damn, is Debbie artistic and Debbie good at it? Debbie made beautiful cakes for our birthdays. Debbie made beautiful cookies. I used to do a cookie, Christmas cookie exchange at my home. She made beautiful cookies. Who knew that that little class over at Joanne's Fabrics was going to spark the artist artistry that came out of Debbie. She started making jewelry, she started knitting. There wasn't anything craftsy or artsy that Debbie touched that she wasn't fabulous at. And she didn't know it up until then. I think we were just turning 50. So you never know what's hiding inside of you until you try something new. So let those little sparks relight big parts of us. Do something great for 2026. I'm going to leave you with that, and I'm going to come back in just a minute with a final thought. All right, what is that final thought? That final thought is we're coming to the end of the year where we judge ourselves harshly, I think. And then we stress out about the new year. And I didn't lose weight this year, I'm going to do it next year. I didn't do this, I'm going to do that. Stop it. Stop the insanity. There's a new Susan Powder. Speaking of Stop the Insanity, she's pretty fabulous. I've been listening to a lot of her things lately. If you don't know who Susan Powder is, uh, she's the Stop the Insanity lady from the 1980s. Um, but I am gonna say that Stop the Insanity. Life is hard. It's hard for everyone. And if you think it isn't, you're fooling yourself. So don't be so hard on yourself. Give yourself a break. Plan something fun for this year, do something you don't usually do. But most importantly, be good to yourself. Talk kindly. If the only change you make next year is to talk kindly to yourself, that'd make me happy. Be good, be kind, go out and do something positive, and thanks for listening this year to Inside Marcy's Mind. I've enjoyed doing it. Gonna continue with both the podcasts and add that third one, unbottled, coming soon.

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Marcy Backhus

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