Resolutions? Hard pass. Projects? Absolutely.
One focus, zero guilt, and a year that actually moves.
2025 is over, and I’m part relieved and part indifferent.
Time passing feels oddly insignificant right now. I’m in a holding pattern, waiting for my kids to find their footing in adulthood — and for them to return a text I sent roughly sometime last night (is there a rule for how long I have to wait before checking FindMy?)
The premepty nest stage is a very slow burn.
Living in this in-between space can be unsettling. I hear it from friends and clients all the time. There’s this quiet sense of waiting — almost like we’re on standby. Fully in the on-call mom era, or standing right at the edge of it. Once your kid gets their driver’s license, it’s game over (in a good way).
When life feels undefined, long-term plans can actually make things worse. Big visions require clarity. And right now, many of us don’t have that.
Our kids don’t either.
They don’t have five-year plans. They have next steps.
And in a strange way, we’re mirroring their transition. They’re stepping into adulthood without guarantees, working with loose roadmaps and partial information. We’re doing the same — just with more life experience and opinions on throw pillows.
It’s the unknown that gets us.
Which is why the usual New Year pressure doesn’t make sense right now. I mean, I never think they make sense, because who wants to end the year with a dusty planner or unused gym membership?
Resolutions ask us to predict who we’ll be and how we’ll live, and statistically, they don’t work anyway. By March, most of us are steeped in guilt over broken promises. So why pile that on in a season that already feels unsteady?
Instead, what if you approached the year with a focus rather than a resolution?
Not a grand vision. Not a total reinvention.
Just something solid to hold onto.
I think of these as project-based goals. They slip into a shifting schedule more easily because they’re contained, practical, and have a clear outcome. Projects give momentum without pressure.
What’s been quietly bothering you that you’ve learned to live with?
Is it your bedroom that never made it to the design stage and somehow gives off the same vibe as the bedroom from your 1994 apartment?
These projects aren’t trivial. Working on them will bring shape your days.
Choose one. Make it your focus for the year.
What would it feel like to finally move forward on something that’s been bugging you?
How would you spend your time if progress mattered more than ticking a check box?
You don’t need big dreams or dramatic resolutions to create change. Small, intentional projects add up. And as our kids get older and our time slowly frees up, this is an excellent time to choose meaningful projects.
And because they’re “projects” and not resolutions, they feel more realistic. If they don’t get done, and many of mine are still in progress three years later, no pressure.
This is an easy, forgiving way to add a little shape to a year that might otherwise feel like waiting.
I’ve got a lot of things in store for you this year, but I want to hear from you… How can I help? Do you have a problem you’d like help with or a topic you think others would beinterested in? Reply to this email or comment on the Substack app. I really do want to know what you’re thinking. 🥰
Two more things:
This is hands down my favorite planner. I don’t use it every day, but when I do, I always have really good days. I appreciate the simplicity of the page layout. Helps me stay organized without feeling overwhelmed. I’m not affiliated. Just a big fan.
I got sick and had to move the FREE workshop to next week (Jan 8th)
The Shared Load
Reclaim Your Time by Doing Less (and Raising Kids Who Can Do More)📅 January 8, 2026
🕥 10:30 AM Pacific Time