As I stepped into the new year, I realized I didn’t want to rush into goals, pressure, or fixing myself.

This past year asked more of me than I expected — grief, change, survival, and profound shifts in who I am and how I want to live. Instead of starting this year with resolutions, I’m choosing a different approach: letting values be my compass instead of goals.

In this episode, I’m also sharing an honest shift in how I’m approaching this podcast. After fourteen carefully scripted episodes, I realized I was holding back in the name of getting it “right.” Moving forward, this space will be less about perfection and more about being real — walking through life together instead of talking from a distance.

We talk about:

• Why the start of a new year can feel emotionally complex

• How our nervous systems don’t reset just because the calendar changes

• Why survival was sometimes the goal last year — and why that’s okay

• Choosing values over goals as a gentler, more sustainable way to live

• The values I’m holding onto this year: presence, integrity, connection, self-trust, and care

• Letting go of perfectionism and choosing alignment instead

If you’re entering this year feeling tired, tender, unsure, or behind — you’re not. You’re human. And you’re not alone.

This year doesn’t have to be big or impressive.

One honest day at a time is enough.

What is one value you want to hold onto this year — not perfectly, but intentionally?