Have you ever chosen a word of the year that sounded really inspiring on January 1st... only to realize by February that it felt more like a performance review than a guiding principle?

Yep. Me too.

For years, I've chosen words like intentional, discipline, consistency, and rhythms. And while those words weren't bad, they often came with an uninvited sidekick: pressure.

Pressure to do more.

Pressure to improve faster.

Pressure to become a "better version" of myself.

And if I'm being honest, that mindset can start to sound a whole lot like diet culture.

Always striving.

Always fixing.

Always feeling behind.

So this year, I'm doing something different.

My word of the year for 2026 is EXPLORE.

Not hustle.

Not control.

Not discipline.

Not even consistency.

Just... explore.

And friend, I think this simple shift has the potential to change far more than my yearly goals. I think it has the power to reshape how we approach growth, faith, food freedom, body image, and even o...

Friend, your lack of motivation isn't the problem—and you're NOT failing.

Okay, Confession Time…

Last summer? I had THE plan.
You know the one. The gloriously idealistic, Pinterest-worthy, color-coded summer schedule for my kids with:

• Daily reading time
  
  
• Educational games
  
  
• Plenty of outdoor adventures
  
  
• And—miraculously—blocks of quiet time for me to work while they entertained themselves like the sweet little angels I imagined they’d be 🙃
  
  

And for like… two weeks? It actually worked. 🎉

But then… reality.
The schedule got tossed aside, the activities weren’t quite as exciting anymore, and those "quiet" work blocks? They turned into:

“Mom, can you help me?”
“Mom, I need a snack!”
“Mooom, look! I can stand on my head!”

Every. Five. Minutes. ⌚

And I remember sitting there wondering:
“Why can’t I just stick with this? What’s wrong with me?”

But here’s the thing I want you to hear loud and clear:

It wasn’t about trying harder.

It was about expecting a plan to work under per...