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Back at It Again: My 2026 Year of “Experiences Over Things” (Because Apparently I Love a Challenge)

By: Cody Galloway, TULA co-founder

If you’ve been around for a while, you might remember when I declared… very boldly, very publicly… that I was doing a full year of no personal purchases. And then I actually… did it (mostly).  If you need a refresher, you can read the whole saga here: A Year With No Personal Purchases.

That experiment taught me a LOT. Like:

  1. I own way too many things.
  2. I will, in fact, survive without another pair of “essential” black leggings.
  3. My impulse purchases are usually just me trying to escape the laundry I don’t want to fold.

But mostly, it taught me that less stuff = more clarity.

And now… I may have fallen off the rails a bit...but I’m ready to be back at it again.
This time? We’re leveling up. We’re going philosophical. We’re going full “inner peace meets outer chaos.”

For 2026, my intention is simple:
Prioritize experiences over things.

Yes… I’m willingly signing myself up for another challenge.
Yes… I’m fully aware that normal people start new years with things like “drink more water” or “journal in the mornings.”
And yes… I am dragging you along with me (lovingly, obviously).

But hear me out.

Why I’m Doing This (Again)... The Humble Version

Somewhere between growing a business, keeping humans alive, navigating life, and occasionally remembering to drink water… I realized that my happiest memories almost never come from things I bought.

They come from experiences… the messy, spontaneous, slightly chaotic ones: dinners that turn into stories, hikes that turn into therapy sessions, weekends away, new recipes, travel adventures with my fam, and moments where I genuinely feel alive instead of just… accumulating more stuff that eventually ends up in a closet I avoid opening.

Also, I read recently that people who invest in experiences rather than material things tend to feel more fulfilled and connected. And honestly? That checks out and I know in this season of life I could definitely stand to feel more of both of those things.

So, here we are.
Me. You. 2026. A year of living with intention… but like, the manageable kind. Not the “only eat air and meditate at sunrise” kind.

The 2026 Rules — Now with More Realism

  •  Experiences > Things

If it lights me up, creates a memory, starts a new story, or makes me feel connected, it’s in.
If it’s a random impulse purchase I won’t remember next month… it’s out.

  • Second-hand is totally fair game

Last time, no purchases meant… NO purchases. Period.
This time? Thrifting, consignment, renting, borrowing… all allowed.
Because sustainability matters. And also because sometimes a girl needs a dress that didn’t exist in her closet in 2018 annnnndd also I am obsessed with Nuuly and unwilling to give it up. :) 

  • Essentials don’t count

Groceries, shampoo, deodorant...things you need- yes, we’re still buying these. This is a lifestyle shift, not a survival challenge.

  • Things that support experiences are allowed

A park pass? Yes.
A tent for camping? Yes.
A brand-new, full-price impulse “experience-related” purchase that I convince myself I need? …We’ll see. (But probably no.) 

  • Document the joy

Photos, journal entries, saved moments, love notes to future me anything that helps me remember the real point of this: more life, less clutter.

Your Invitation

Here’s the part where I humbly, enthusiastically, semi-chaotically ask you to do it with me.

Not perfectly.
Not rigidly.
Not extreme “I will now live like a minimalist” energy.

But intentionally.
Thoughtfully.
And maybe even joyfully.

Maybe for a year.
Maybe for a month.
Maybe for a week when your online cart feels like a cry for help.

Let’s make 2026 the year we choose experiences over things.  The year we remember that life feels richer when we’re actually living it, not just buying for it.

If you’re in, let me know.
If you’re half-in and half-terrified… same.
If you just want to watch and cheer from the sidelines, that’s allowed too.

Grab some TULA hours (more time for YOU). Go take that class. Book that trip. Try the restaurant you’ve been curious about. Plan a hike with friends. Attend a concert. Read a book- read 100 books. Write a letter. Dance in your kitchen. Figure out what fills your cup and do more of it. 

Here’s to a year of memories we’ll actually remember…not stuff we’ll eventually donate.

Let’s do this. 🥂✨