I started a business development class this year, and I’m absolutely loving it. The insights they share are invaluable and applicable to both business and life.

One piece of advice from the coach really resonated with me recently. She said, “When you align your decisions with your values, you rarely have room for regret.”

The new year is such a fun, refreshing time—a real opportunity for new beginnings. I always find myself inspired by design, but this time of year—those post-holiday winter doldrums—feels like the perfect moment to fill my cup with fresh ideas and new inspiration. One thing that consistently pops up around this time are trend reports for the upcoming year. If you’re not familiar, these are exactly what they sound like: groups of top designers share their predictions for “What’s Hot and What’s Not” in the world of design.

I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with these lists.