We’re a week into the new year now.

The emails are back. The calendar is filling up. The motivation is already starting to wobble a little - and that’s OK. This isn’t the week for big overhauls or dramatic resolutions.

So today, I want to keep this simple.

If you do one security thing in 2026, make it this:

Secure your email account properly

Your email is the keys to the kingdom.

Password resets. Bank notifications. Social media logins. Cloud storage. Receipts. Identity verification. Almost everything important in your digital life flows through it.

Most real-world account takeovers don’t start with hacking your bank.
They start with access to your email.

So the one habit that pays off all year is: - A strong, unique password - A password manager - Multi-factor authentication (MFA) on your email account

That single change quietly prevents a huge percentage of attacks.

A calm reset for your digital life

Once email is secured, everything else becomes easier.

Think of this less like “cybersecurity” and more like tidying a room you’ve been meaning to clean for a while.

Over the next few weeks, when you have time: - Close old accounts you don’t use - Remove apps you forgot you installed - Review permissions on your phone (camera, mic, location) - Update devices and turn on automatic updates - Back up photos and important files (and check the backup actually works)

No urgency. No fear. Just steady progress.

Security done calmly is security that sticks.

What I’m doing differently this year

I’ll share what I’m personally focusing on in 2026 - not because everyone must copy it, but to show this isn’t theoretical.

This year I’m:

- Reducing the number of accounts I have at all
- Moving important logins to passkeys where available
- Using email aliases so my real address isn’t everywhere
- Testing backups instead of assuming they work
- Saying “no” to apps and services that demand more data than they need

None of this is flashy. None of it makes headlines.
But it dramatically lowers stress when something inevitably goes wrong.

A gentle goal for the year

You don’t need to become “the security person.” You don’t need to do everything this week.

Just aim for fewer passwords, fewer accounts, and fewer surprises.

One habit at a time.

That’s how you make security boring again - and boring is exactly what we want.

Stay safe out there,
Mat C

P.S. If you ever feel unsure about a security decision, reply to this email. I read them all, and if I don’t know the answer, I’ll tell you that too.