What I am carrying into this year…

and what I am gently leaving behind

The start of a new year often arrives with a quiet question in the background:
What am I supposed to change?

For many of us, especially after a season of upheaval or emotional growth, the idea of fixing ourselves can feel exhausting before January has even begun.

So instead of setting big goals or demanding a fresh version of myself, I am doing something simpler this year.
I am choosing what I will carry forward, and what I am ready to gently leave behind.

And I want to invite you to do the same.

What I am carrying into this year

I am carrying the practices that help me feel grounded, not perfect.

Early mornings matter to me. Not every morning, not in a rigid way, but often enough to feel their impact. Reformer pilates when my body wants strength. The gym when I need momentum. Beach walks when I need space and perspective.

Movement, for me, is not about discipline. It is about regulation. It is how I remind myself that I am allowed to start the day connected to my body before the world pulls me in a hundred directions.

More than the routine itself, I am carrying the permission to care for myself in ways that feel supportive rather than demanding.

I am also carrying the understanding that progress does not have to be loud. Growth can be quiet. Healing can be subtle. Sometimes the biggest shifts happen when nothing dramatic changes at all.

What I am gently leaving behind

I am leaving behind guilt.

The guilt that creeps in when a routine gets missed.
The guilt that tells us we have failed if we do not show up exactly as planned.
The guilt that makes rest feel like weakness.

I am also leaving behind the pressure to do everything.

The belief that being capable means being constantly available. That strength means carrying more, even when we are already stretched thin. That slowing down somehow puts us behind.

This year, I am choosing discernment over depletion. Presence over performance. Enough over everything.

A gentle pause for you

As you move into this year, you might like to reflect on these questions:

• What supports me that I would like to keep, even imperfectly?

• What expectations am I ready to loosen my grip on?

• Where could I replace pressure with compassion?

You do not need a complete plan. You do not need a new identity. You do not need to get it right from day one.

Sometimes the most powerful shift is deciding to move forward without dragging guilt, pressure, or unrealistic expectations with you.

May this year be one where you carry what steadies you, and quietly leave behind what no longer needs to come along.