Catch up on the week of Jan 12, 2026: Discover Goldman Sachs' 2.5% GDP forecast, Minneapolis protests, and pre-Davos global updates. Plus, catch up on the latest NFL Wild Card results, the start of the Australian Open, and a full 83rd Golden Globes wrap-up featuring big wins for "Hamnet" and "The Studio." Your 5-minute 'Sunday in a Sip' news wrap-up is here.

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Growth, AI, and Factories Firing Up. The economic crystal ball for 2026 is looking clearer—and surprisingly brighter—than expected. This week, Goldman Sachs broke from the pack, forecasting a robust 2.5% GDP growth for the year, outpacing the more modest 2.1% consensus. The driving force? A massive, continued spending spree on Artificial Intelligence and data center infrastructure by tech giants like Amazon, Google, and Meta. It’s not just bits and bytes, though; the January Manufacturing Business Outlook Survey showed activity jumping to a reading of 12.6, a significant bounce back from December’s slump. With core inflation tipped to cool to 2.1% by year’s end and the Fed eyeing rate cuts, the "soft landing" feels more like a comfortable glide.

While economists are crunching numbers, world leaders are packing their snow boots. The World Economic Forum in Davos is set to kick off next week (Jan 19-23) under the theme "A Spirit of Dialogue." The prelude this week, however, was anything but quiet. Tensions in the Middle East spiked as reports confirmed a crackdown on protesters in Iran, with death tolls rising and internet access cut, drawing sharp warnings from the White House. Meanwhile, Hamas announced plans to dissolve its government in Gaza in favor of a technocratic committee—a potential pivot point in the region's long-term stability efforts.

It was a turbulent week in Minneapolis, where demonstrators took to the streets following the controversial death of Renee Good during an ICE enforcement operation. The "ICE Out For Good" protests have sparked a renewed national debate on immigration enforcement tactics. On the security front, the Pentagon made history with South Korea, formally establishing a permanent combined ground command. This move, years in the making, marks a major step toward Seoul eventually assuming wartime control of allied forces, ensuring that U.S. and South Korean troops are more integrated than ever before.

If your blood pressure survived Wild Card Weekend, you’re doing better than most fans. The Houston Texans capped off the opening round with a decisive 30-6 drubbing of the Steelers on Monday night. Now, all eyes turn to the Divisional Round this weekend, featuring a heavyweight bout between the Buffalo Bills and the Denver Broncos, and a bitter NFC West rivalry renewed as the 49ers head to Seattle to face the Seahawks. Tennis fans are also setting their alarms; the Australian Open officially begins its main draw this Sunday (Jan 18) in Melbourne, following a "Opening Week" that saw qualifiers battling for a spot in the season’s first Grand Slam.

Hollywood is still nursing a champagne hangover from last Sunday’s 83rd Golden Globe Awards. The big winner was Chloé Zhao’s "Hamnet," which took home Best Motion Picture – Drama, cementing its status as the Oscar frontrunner. Timothée Chalamet charmed his way to a win for Best Actor (Musical/Comedy) in "Marty Supreme," beating out heavyweights like Leonardo DiCaprio. On the TV side, Apple TV+’s satire "The Studio" won Best Comedy, while Amy Poehler made history by snagging the first-ever Golden Globe for Best Podcast ("Good Hang"). It was a night of new categories and familiar faces, setting the stage for a very interesting awards season.

By the second week of January, the shiny veneer of the New Year often begins to crack. The "New Year, New Me" adrenaline wears off, the alarm clock feels ruder than usual, and those ambitious resolutions, you know, the gym visits, the novel writing, the organic meal prepping! Well, it already is collecting a little dust.

We often call this time the "January Slump," but perhaps we should reframe it as the "January Exhale."

Consider the story of Elias, a young architect in Chicago. On January 1st, 2026, he vowed to run five miles every single morning before dawn. For ten days, he was a machine. On the eleventh day, yes,  this past Monday. He slept through his alarm. He missed his run.

The old narrative told a straightforward story:

I failed. I broke the streak. I might as well give up until next year.

But instead of spiraling into guilt, Elias decided just to take a walk to get his morning coffee. Without his headphones or his running pace, he heard a sound he usually sprinted past:

A whimpering from a storm drain. Elias stopped, looked down, and found a kitten stuck in the slush.

Elias spent the next hour, the time he "should" have been running, coaxing the kitten out, drying it off with his gym towel, and finding its owner (a worried little girl down the block). He didn't hit his mileage that day. He didn't burn the calories he planned. But as he watched the reunion between the girl and her pet, he realized the sense of relief on her face was worth a lot more than his daily mileage. A real feeling that the runner’s high couldn’t match.

Perfection is often the enemy of joy.

When we hold onto our plans too tightly, our hands aren't open to catch the unexpected blessings life throws our way. The "Second Start" is the moment you realize that missing a step doesn't mean you've fallen off the path. No, my sippers, it just means you've found a new, scenic route.

So, as you sip your coffee this Sunday, give yourself some grace. If you’ve already stumbled on your 2026 goals, don't declare defeat. Celebrate the detour. You form the most beautiful patterns in life, it’s like the bloom of a pour-over coffee. Start by not rushing the water through the filter of life,  let it settle, pause, and filter through in its own time.

Here is my sip. Remember, you don’t need a new year to start over. You get a “Second Start” if you’re blessed to wake up to a new morning

Marcel

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