New Year Gloom...?
A short story to start your 2026
The alarm sounded for the third time. By now, she’d had enough of the blaring noise - the instrumental of Katy Perry’s ‘Fireworks’, looped at the pre-chorus - and finally sat up to dismiss the alarm.
After an hour or so of scrolling through social media, a text notification popped up on her screen. A text from her best friend, stating that she would be leaving for the park soon. That if she wished to join her for their jog this time, she could call and let her know. Usually, Mia would make up some excuse as to why she couldn’t join her for their planned morning runs. Today, she ignored it. She couldn’t even find the motivation to get out of bed and brush her teeth. A soft rap on her bedroom door interrupted her self-loathing.
Her roommate, Jade, entered after about half a minute of silence and took in Mia’s depressing appearance with a sigh. “You stayed up doomscrolling again.”
Mia looked away. Jade stepped fully into the room, closing the door behind her before making her way to the hanging chair at the corner of the room, right in Mia’s line of sight. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me, Jade…” Mia started. “I wasn’t like this last month…” She trailed off, her eyes wandering to the wall behind the chair Jade was on as she recalled what felt like a past lifetime to her. A far more fulfilling, more productive lifetime. “This year was supposed to be my year.”
Jade nodded slowly. “Let’s start by acknowledging that there’s nothing wrong with you.”
Mia sighed. “Where have I heard that one before?” She sank deeper into her sheets.
Jade watched her as she spoke. “I’m serious. Have you ever considered that this is what you’re supposed to be doing?” Mia’s eyebrow lifted, and she continued. “It’s not really shocking that you’d feel like getting out of bed was equivalent to running a marathon—”
“Hey…”
“Hear me out. Last month, you were the opposite of… whatever you’re doing now. You got things done, and all of that. You might just be burnt out right now.”
Mia sat up again. “Well, I know that. This always happens - I swear I’m going to be better. And then I don’t. I’m tired of the cycle.”
Jade nodded. “I get you. And you’re right to be frustrated - you’ve been doing everything except what you’re supposed to be doing.”
“What do you mean?”
She pointed at the windowsill, where a butterfly had just landed. “Look at that. Do you think it has somewhere important to be?”
“What does that have to do with this?” Mia asked.
“It doesn’t,” Jade continued, her gaze back on Mia. “Because it doesn’t let time decide what it does.”
After a few seconds of watching Mia’s sullen face morph into one of revelation, Jade smiled. “It’s a cycle because you’ve probably been running on your own deadlines without realizing it, and constantly burning yourself out. The calendar lies, and we’ve all been trapped in its cycle for… years.” She got up slowly as Mia watched the butterfly flutter away. “If you really are concerned about time, give yourself space to ease into whatever you’re pursuing, at the very least. Beginnings are always slow.”
She gave Mia a small smile as she exited the room. After about 5 minutes, Mia picked up her phone and opened her best friend’s text, staring at it before pressing the ‘call’ button.
“Hey…yeah. I’ll be there in 10. I was wondering, though… could we take a walk instead?”
