Hey there Reader,
January has a certain energy to it, doesn’t it?
A clean slate.
Fresh intentions.
A quiet (or not-so-quiet) pressure to decide who you’re going to be this year.
We’re told this is the moment to set the goals, make the plans, fix what didn’t work, and finally become the version of ourselves we’ve been promising we’ll get to.
And yet… I wonder if sometimes January is asking something gentler of us.
Not to rush forward.
But to pause.
Recently, my husband shared something with me that has stayed.
He’s a retired RCMP officer, and although he’s no longer serving, he still marches on Remembrance Day. It matters deeply to him. He still wears the red serge for those occasions, and with it, a pair of boots he’s had for over fifty years.
Fifty years (somehow he seems too young for that to be true).
Those boots have seen weather, miles, service, time and horse’s. And like anything well-used and well-loved, they had begun to deteriorate. The easy answer would have been to replace them—if that were even possible. Or to toss them aside as “past their prime.”
But instead, he did something different.
He researched.
He looked for a cobbler (not an easy task these days).
He learned what was required.
He gathered the tools.
And then he did the work himself.
He chose to restore them rather than replace them.
As he talked, it struck me how often we approach our own lives in the opposite way—especially at the start of a new year.
We often treat January like a massive reset, as though everything before this moment needs to be corrected or left behind. Reflection has value, but it can quietly turn into a story that says, “Something about me needs to be fixed.”
I don’t believe that.
I believe there is tremendous quality already within you.
Years of experience. Hard-earned wisdom. Values that have shaped who you are. Strengths that may be worn in places, but are far from gone.
Just like those boots.
What if this year isn’t about reinventing yourself, but about restoring what matters most?
Instead of asking, “What do I need to add?”
What if you asked, “What needs care? What needs attention? What’s ready to be released?”
So often we move forward not by adding more, but by shedding what no longer fits.
This reminds me of the movie Pretty Woman. Beneath the rough edges and the assumptions, everything was already there. Nothing needed to be added, only revealed. The transformation wasn’t about becoming someone else; it was about allowing what was already within to emerge.
I believe that’s true for you, too.
Real change doesn’t come from force. It comes from listening—to your body, your stress levels, your intuition, your values. When we skip that step, intentions fall apart, not because we lack commitment, but because the foundation hasn’t been tended to.
This is why values-based living matters so deeply to me, especially for women in midlife transition.
You may be standing at a crossroads right now. Wondering whether to begin something new, end something that no longer fits, or trust yourself enough to choose differently. And sometimes the answer isn’t more effort—it’s deeper alignment.
You are not unfinished.
You are not too late.
You don’t need to chase a new version of yourself.
What may be needed instead is care. Self-trust. Honouring what has carried you this far and gently repairing what’s worn.
So as you move through January, I invite you to consider:
Where might slowing down actually move you forward?
What part of you is asking for restoration rather than reinvention?
What would change if you trusted that you already hold more than you realize?
There’s no rush.
No pressure to get it “right.”
Just an opportunity to tend to what matters.
This year doesn’t require you to start over.
It may simply be asking you to care more deeply for what you already are.
Consider joining us in person for the February workshop if you are looking for this kind of approach. This isn’t about forcing goals or creating a vision board disconnected from real life. It’s about understanding what truly matters to you, settling your system, listening inward, and allowing clarity to emerge, so your next steps feel grounded and true.
With warmth,
Marianne
.
Looking Ahead:
“Aligned Living: Values, Vision & your Year Ahead”
- Coming February 4th & 11th: This is an in-person event. It is not just goal-setting or a vision board. This is about aligning your values, your spirit, and how you move through life, while creating a practical, masterful plan you can carry with you all year.
- It’s hands-on, engaging, and deeply transformative — something you won’t want to miss.
✨ Radical Clarity Session
Stuck or unsure about next steps? 90–120 minute intensives uncover priorities, clear obstacles, and create a clear, doable path forward. Send me a message.
1:1 Coaching opportunities exist.
Stay Connected
If this newsletter resonates, share it or reply—I’d love to hear from you.
Subscribe for updates and receive a free guide: The 7 Steps to Banishing Burnout
admin
