Forget Resolutions. Make Choices Instead.

As the new year begins, many people talk about New Year's resolutions. Personally, I've never been a big fan—they often come with a lot of pressure and very little clarity.

What I am a fan of? Clear choices.

Making choices means saying yes to some things—and intentionally saying no to others. You're not adding more to your plate; you're being discerning. You're choosing what truly matters. You're letting last year's lessons shape what you're creating next.

Every day, you're making choices about how you spend your time, the friendships you nurture, what you feed your body, how much energy you give to social media, and where your attention goes.

Choices create focus. Focus creates momentum. And momentum empowers you.

As John C. Maxwell says: "Life is a matter of choices. And every choice you make makes you."

Here's a simple framework I often return to:

Start. Stop. Continue.

• Stop: What's no longer serving me that I need to let go of?

• Start: What's asking for my energy and attention now?

• Continue: What's been working that I want to keep nurturing?

When we create focus, we train our brain to recognize what truly matters to us. You can't do ten things well at once—but you can choose one thing and dramatically increase its chances to grow and bloom.

Let me share what this looks like for me this year:

• Stop: I'm choosing to stop comparing myself to others. I've noticed that when I fall into comparison, I immediately shift into self-doubt mode, and that's simply not serving me. Instead, I want to lean into what I know to be true for me, trusting my own path rather than measuring it against someone else's.

• Start: I'm choosing to trust my own voice and follow my intuition. This feels both exciting and a little vulnerable, but it's where my energy wants to go.

• Continue: For me, it's about continuing to experiment with new things and meet new people. Building new connections has been incredibly enriching, and I want to keep nurturing that curiosity and openness.

Your choices will look different from mine—and that's exactly the point. This isn't about doing it "right." It's about being honest with yourself about what needs your attention.

I invite you to take a moment to pause and reflect: What choices do you want to make this year?

You may be surprised by what you learn about yourself when you truly take the time to go inward and consider what matters most to you.

Thank you for reading and for being part of this journey.

Warmly,

Laura