People Over Things: Our Love Letter to 2026

As Bailey & Phillips Creative steps into 2026, we do so with a deeper sense of awareness than we've ever had before. The turning of the calendar doesn't magically erase what the last year held, and 2025 was not an easy one for us. It was a year filled with uncertainty, difficult decisions, and moments that forced us to slow down whether we wanted to or not.

But it was also a year that clarified what matters most.

Walking Through Uncertainty

Over the past year, we've faced personal challenges that reshaped how we view stability and success. A potential shift in work brought questions we hadn't planned to ask yet — about purpose, fulfillment, and what kind of work truly aligns with the life we want to live. At the same time, illness within our family reminded us just how fragile time can be. When health is shaken, everything else — deadlines, plans, worries — fades into the background.

Those experiences were grounding in a way nothing else could be. They forced us to pause and acknowledge that control is often an illusion, and presence is the real gift.

Stepping Away to Reset

Toward the end of 2025, Phillips took a trip out of the country — not to escape, but to reset and recalibrate. Being away from the familiar created space for clarity. Without the constant noise of routine, expectations, and distractions, she was able to reflect honestly on where we've been spending our time, energy, and resources.

In that quiet space, one truth became unmistakably clear.

Choosing People Over Things

We realized something that changed everything: we will always choose to invest in people over things.

Time and again, we've found that we rarely regret the energy, love, or support we pour into relationships. What we do regret — more often than we care to admit — are the things: purchases made out of convenience, stress, or distraction; time spent chasing what didn't truly fulfill; energy poured into objects instead of connections.

This realization has become our guiding principle for 2026. To invest in people. To prioritize presence over possessions. To choose meaning over accumulation.

Because years from now, we won't remember the things we owned — but we will remember the conversations, the shared moments, the support given and received.

What This Means for Bailey & Phillips Creative

This is why Bailey & Phillips Creative exists. Every piece we design is meant to celebrate the people and moments that matter — not to add clutter, but to honor the seasons of connection, togetherness, and meaningful traditions. When you wear our designs, you're not just wearing apparel. You're wearing a reminder of what truly matters.

Carrying Hope Forward

Hope, for us, doesn’t mean pretending the future will be easy. It means trusting that we can meet whatever comes with intention and heart. It means honoring the lessons of 2025 without allowing them to harden us. It means walking into 2026 with openness rather than fear.

This new year feels less about chasing more and more about choosing better.

Nostalgic & Heartfelt Reflection

When we look back, it's not the milestones that move us most — it's the quiet moments. The late-night talks. The check-in texts. The shared laughter during uncertain times. Those moments shaped us more than any plan ever could.

They remind us that even in difficult seasons, there is warmth to be found. And as we step forward, we carry those memories with us — not as reminders of hardship, but as proof of resilience, love, and connection.

Moving Forward With Intention

2026 is a new adventure, not because everything is new, but because we choose to move through it differently. With clearer priorities. With deeper compassion. With a commitment to invest where it truly matters.

We encourage you to step into this new year and reflect: where are you investing your time, energy, and heart — and does it align with what you'll be grateful for when you look back?

We'd love to hear from you. What are you choosing to invest in this year? 
Email us at baileyandphillipscreative@gmail.com or share with us on Facebook — we read every message.

With gratitude and hope for the seasons ahead,
Bailey & Phillips Creative
A mother-son brand, made to celebrate every season of life.