It’s almost Christmas.
That strange, quiet dead zone of the year has arrived — the stretch between now and early January where time feels suspended. Work slows down, inboxes go quiet, and everyone seems halfway checked out, scrambling to close loops or simply disappear for a bit.
I don’t personally celebrate Christmas. I don’t acknowledge it in the traditional sense at all.
But I do appreciate this time of year.
It’s a rare window where my husband has paid time off, where things soften a little, and where there’s space for gentle connection — mostly with his family — and a whole lot of rest. And honestly, rest has become sacred.
What I do celebrate, wholeheartedly, is the New Year. January 1st matters to me. The Gregorian calendar reset feels real, tangible, and powerful. I also celebrate the Chinese Zodiac New Year when it arrives later on. And just after that? My birthday. So this season, for me, is layered with meaning — not obligation, but intention.
We just passed the Winter Solstice — the turning point. The return of the light. This is the time when I let go. When I reflect. When I set intentions for what’s ahead.
Right now, I’m honoring the 13 Nights of Solstice, carrying one intention each night. Twelve of them are released — handed over to the universe. On the thirteenth night, the final intention is mine alone. That’s the one I carry into the New Year. That’s my responsibility.
And it makes me ask the same question I imagine many of you are asking:
What are we really looking for now? What do we actually want?
Because if I’m being honest — this past year has been one of the hardest of my life. And I know I’m not alone. 2025 hit hard. Financially. Emotionally. Physically. Collectively.
Everything feels relentlessly expensive. Survival feels heavier than it should. I genuinely don’t know how some families pulled off holidays this year — especially when there were moments I couldn’t even wrap my head around affording basic food.
It’s frustrating. It’s exhausting. It makes you angry. And it leaves you wondering how you’re supposed to keep going. I’m right there with you.
But this season — as quiet and heavy as it can feel — is also a rare opportunity. A chance to shift our perspective. To reset our values. To choose a different direction. To recommit to ourselves.
I’m still very much in it. Every day is uncertain. My body has been through more stress than it should have ever had to endure, and I live with chronic illness now. Some days I’m okay. Some days I’m not. And that unpredictability takes a real mental toll.
Even when your mindset is strong, being physically unwell is deeply draining. The past few months have held some of the darkest sadness I’ve ever known — and also moments of real strength, confidence, and clarity. Both can exist. They often do.
So as I look toward 2026, my intention is simple but fierce:
I am committing every ounce of my strength to doing better — gently.
Not perfectly. Not all at once. Just one percent better than the day before.
If it’s your health, your movement, your mindset — take your time. Start slow and start where you can. This is not a race. There is no finish line. There is no final destination. Visions evolve. Goals shift. Life pivots. And learning how to pivot — without self-destruction — is everything.
I see so many people, especially younger generations, who did everything “right.” Degrees. Careers. Dream jobs. Only to discover that corporate systems will discard you in minutes. You’re a line item. A number. Nothing more. I’ve been there. I see you. And if you’re rebuilding right now — I applaud you.
So many people I know have had the hardest year of their lives. Or two years. Or five. Ever since 2020, it’s felt like one long lesson in endurance. If you’re still standing, still trying, still choosing to stay — I’m proud of you. This hasn’t been easy. Life rarely is.
So where do we look now?
We look toward the light — even when it’s faint. We trust that strength will meet us again — even when we can’t feel it yet. And it will. I promise.
One of my biggest intentions for the year ahead is grace — especially with myself. I’m very familiar with self-sabotage, self-doubt, and self-criticism. I still battle them. But I also choose to fight for myself every single day. I take therapy seriously. I pay for it myself. I make room for it because my mental health matters — deeply. And I want that for you too.
Find what matters most in your life. Protect it. Invest in it — even when it’s uncomfortable. It won’t be easy. But it will be worth it.
After everything we’ve moved through over the past nine years, we are finally on the upswing. Symbolically, energetically — however you view it — this is a turning point.
The shedding is done.
The weight has been released.
And now, we move.
2026 is about strength. Momentum. Forward motion.
I’m right here with you.
And yes — you’ve got this.
