I have often been the new-year girl, the vision-board maker, the word-of-the-year selector, and the go-getting goal-setter.

While I have plenty to work on this year, I am beginning the year slowly because I know I need restoration and ease the most. Last year, while full of excitement and dreams made reality, it also came with tremendous stress and angst.

That doesn’t mean I won’t be eating better, getting back to regular exercise, and even excited to start training for races again.

But I don’t have “new year, new you” energy right now.

I have “breathe deep and sleep well” energy.

I have contentment to have all my life pieces together again.

I am ready to settle in, making this house feel like our home.

As much as I have spent the start of this conversation telling you I am not rushing into change, I have still been thinking a lot about the new year and where I need to shift. 

While revisiting Pema Chodron’s book “The Wisdom of No Escape,” I encountered an idea I didn’t remember from the first time I read it.

She says, “Our neurosis and our wisdom are made out of the same material. If you throw out your neurosis, you also throw out your wisdom.”

It struck me that we all try to escape our quirks and faults. We often say this is self-improvement, but it’s more like sanitizing ourselves of what might actually be our genius. Realizing that your best qualities are made from the same reservoir as your perceived weaknesses can give you pause.

Don’t get me wrong—I, like anyone, am all for working on myself and performance development, but I also need a softer approach.

In 2025, that is leaning into better habits, but giving myself a month to consider what I want this year. This gives me the space to return to a regular work routine, reflect, and not feel rushed.

That makes the most sense for where I am right now, and you may feel the same way. But if you have stumbled upon your best approach to 2025, follow your internal guidance. Move forward with what resonates with you, and let all the pressure-filled messages fly by.