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New year, definitely not a new me
Iโm in a cabin in Lake Arrowhead. JP took three of the kids skiing and I stayed back writing, reading and drinking tea while Sloan crochets next to me. The two of us are old souls who are choosing to enter into the year at a very leisurely pace.
I donโt think last year I rushed, per se, but I definitely felt moments of overwhelm when I was tying to juggle it all. I wasnโt necessarily conscious of it, but the past week or so being truly โoffโ has helped me realized just how much my body and mind have been craving stillness and how exhausted I really was (anyone else?)
I love this time of year. Itโs my personal favorite week of the year. Post holidays, but not quite โbackโ at it yet. The in between. When life and time feel like their standing still, youโre not sure what day it is or when you last put on a bra. And as much as I love going braless (I truly do), what I love more about this week is the opportunity to reflect. There is no other time of the year where I truly feel like I step back this much, recalibrate and take stock of where Iโm going.
For me, New Years is not about goal setting, planning, or the word I hear most overused these days..manifesting.
Instead itโs really simple – itโs just a check in. A moment to recalibrate. To give my body and mind a chance to rest, and then from a relaxed state – choose whatโs next for me. Without pressure. Without a sense of urgency. But rather a nudge to get further in alignment.
I think it can be really easy to get caught up this time of year in the pressure of creating these huge plans and overhauling our lives to somehow โchangeโ who we are and โbecomeโ someone new. To start a new diet, workout or morning routine. And while I donโt think thatโs necessarily a bad thing – I think wโer missing the point.
That weโre pretty great. Me and You. Weโve accomplished a whole heck of a lot over the decades, and especially over this year; living through a wild time politically, socially and culturally. And weโre not just getting by, weโre thriving. Even when it doesnโt feel like it – weโre doing amazing things. I see it everyday, people rising to the occasion and showing me the best in humanity (sure the opposite is true as well, but I see more good than not these days).
Could we put our phones down more, save more for retirement, or be more patient with our kids at time – of course. Iโm sure thereโs a lot that we could all work on. But in the grand scheme of things – weโre doing pretty amazing, kids. Donโt overlook that.
I shared on my most recent podcast how Iโve been looking back on this year, and choosing not to look at what I accomplished externally, but rather how I felt internally. The woman I showed up as.
This year really tested me professionally, as well as personally trying to get our family settled out west. It could be so easy to think of this year as a failure. I earned the least I ever has an entrepreneur, my audience shrank, and I had a major setback on a creative project. It could be so easy to think of this year as a failure – but instead I feel really proud of how I handled it all. How I didnโt quit. How I didnโt stop showing up for myself, or keep trying. How I showed up for the kids, for JP and myself personally. I may not have accomplished my โgoalsโ per se – but I really like the person I was this year. I liked her. And that means everything.
As I started thinking about the year ahead there are of course things Iโve been playing with. I spent a lot of time this week journaling and just being with my thoughts. JP and I spent time as a couple thinking through our priorities and our values, having some much needed conversations. It had been a while since we had done that and it was interesting to see how much has changed. And we did the same exercise with our kids. Just having conversations. Informally. With no pressure, but rather just with compassionate curiosity for ourselves and each other.
So while I love big goals, vision boards, and manifesting (fine), I think the intention behind it is more important than anything. If that feels good to you, awesome. Just donโt let it become another thing on your โto doโ list because you think its gonna make you a better person. Because youโre already an amazing person.
Youโre not an iPhone who needs updating every 6 months. Youโre an incredible human doing amazing things in a really challenging world.
Itโs more than enough if you do nothing this January other than just show up.
Youโre doing great. Go slowly, kids. This whole like things is a marathon, not a sprint.
Happy New Year, friends. Now back to crocheting with my 8 year old grandmaโฆ.lol. This is the energy we need for 2025.
*Oh, and if youโre looking to start the year more mindfully and aware, come join our mindfulness reset. Itโs a 4-week holistic mindfulness program, based in meditation, helping you to feel centered, grounded and well this year. Youโll have direct access to me, a library of resources and a community of women to grow alongside of. This is unlike another Iโve ever done before and encompasses everything Iโve learned over the decade into one holistic mindfulness program. We begin January 20th. You can learn more here.
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