I watched something recently from James Van Der Beek — yes, that James Van Der Beek, forever delivering slightly dramatic life reflections in my head—and it stopped me mid-scroll. He said maybe we’ve been doing New Year’s resolutions all wrong. Not the goals themselves… but the timing. I had to sit with that for a minute, because if there’s one thing I’ve consistently done every January, it’s try to completely reinvent my life while emotionally operating at about 42%.

Every year, I go in strong. I build the plan. I map the habits. I convince myself that this is the version of me that finally has it all together. The vision board looks stunning. And then, without fail, somewhere between the darkness at 4:30 PM and the general vibe of winter, I lose steam. Not dramatically or in a “burn it all down” way, just quietly. Like… I’d rather be under a blanket than becoming my highest self right now and I always thought that meant something was wrong with me; a lack of discipline or consistency, maybe a lack of whatever people on the internet seem to have in January.


But what if it’s not a personal flaw but instead, it’s just the wrong season?

The more I thought about what he said—that winter is meant for rest, reflection, and healing—the more it clicked in a way that felt almost relieving.When you actually look around, nothing in nature is pushing right now. Everything is paused, slower and quiet. Even the energy of the days feels like it’s asking less of you. And yet somehow, we’ve all agreed this is the exact moment we should demand the most from ourselves. It’s kind of wild when you say it out loud. Honestly, January and February (even March) just felt like a burnout. There was a lot of pressure—new year, fresh start—and on top of that, January 1st is also my birthday, so it always feels like I’m supposed to have everything figured out overnight.

This year, I just didn’t have it in me to force it, so instead of pushing harder, I slowed down. I gave myself more leniency than I usually would. I didn’t try to reset everything or build some intense routine that wasn’t realistic for the season I was in. I rested more, thought things through more and let unfinished tasks remain without rushing to fix them immediately. For once, I didn’t feel like I was falling behind and I felt exactly where I needed to be. That’s not a feeling I’m used to, but it’s one I’m starting to trust. And now, as are into spring, I can feel that shift happening. It’s subtle, and it’s real.

There’s a little more energy in the mornings and perhaps more clarity in my thoughts. It’s a little more excitement about what’s next and things that felt heavy a month ago feel… possible again. And it’s not because I suddenly became more disciplined. It’s because the season changed.

This time, instead of beating myself up for not becoming a “new” person in January, I’m doing something that actually feels aligned. I’m starting now. It’s not in a rushed, pressure-filled way, but in a grounded and intentional way. This feels like the time to revisit my vision board, and not the overly ambitious, Pinterest-perfect version I forced together earlier, but one that actually reflects where I am now; What I want, what I’m ready for and what feels real and not performative.

Building a vision when you can actually feel your energy returning, it hits differently. And maybe that’s the biggest shift for me. Realizing that growth doesn’t have to be forced to count, that rest isn’t a detour but part of the process, and that timing matters more than we give it credit for.

And a small, heartfelt nod to a wonderful man—James Van Der Beek—whose words, perspective, and vulnerability continue to teach long after he’s gone. There’s real powerful moments when someone is willing to question the way we’ve always done things… especially while navigating something as personal as his own health journey.

A reminder that even in the hardest seasons, there is wisdom to be shared and that legacy isn’t just what you leave behind, it’s what you help people understand while you’re still here.

So if your last few months didn’t look like a complete life transformation, same. If your goals felt a little (or a lot) out of reach, same. If you’ve been waiting for the moment where things feel easier to start… maybe this is it.

Let’s just meet each other where we are – somewhere already so gorgeous and stunning because we’ve lived to see another day.