I’m writing this week’s newsletter feeling more scattered than usual. Not because I don’t have anything to share, but because there’s so much on my mind. I want to be honest about where I am and what feels most important as we step into a new year.
January carries an energy of renewal.
For many of us, it feels like a clean slate: a moment to move forward, to imagine a life that feels more aligned, meaningful, and true.
Even if we struggle with that energy feeling tired, unsure, or stuck there’s often a quiet striving underneath it all. A desire to feel capable, to feel progress, to feel like we’re moving toward something that matters.
This year, much of my work, my coaching, my workshops, and my own personal discoveries are shaped around what I call radical trust.
It’s about learning to trust ourselves again; our bodies, our inner knowing, our values. And as I think about visioning for the year ahead, I keep returning to this truth: a vision without values can feel empty.
It’s easy to create a vision board filled with beautiful images—places we want to travel, goals we hope to achieve, a life that looks good on the outside. But if that vision isn’t guided by the values we want to live by; how we want to feel, how we want to show up, what we want to stand for,it can leave us disconnected.
Values anchor belief. They connect us to our “why.” Without that connection, it’s hard to bring anything fully into being.
I recently came across a thought from Robin Sharma that stayed with me: one of our greatest bad habits is wasting a day, because a day is irreplaceable. We never get it back.
A photo of Murphy and me, taken January 6, 2025, reminds me of this. He’s no longer with me, and yet that simple moment is now a treasure. It’s a quiet reminder that time does not wait and that today is all we are guaranteed.
Murphy & I, January 6,2025 – Time does not wait and today is all we are guaranteed.
Many of us move through our days in a blur; laundry, dinner, work, trying to figure out purpose only to wake up the next day exhausted, still feeling behind, still comparing ourselves to others. I know that cycle well.
Here’s something I’ve had to admit to myself: I actually value downtime.
I’m not someone who wants to be in constant hustle mode. Yet I still find myself wondering, why doesn’t it ever feel like enough? How many lists do I need to make? How much do I need to accomplish to feel at peace?
What I’ve learned is that we have to return to a deeper place, the part of us that may feel unsupported or unheard. This is somatic work: body-based listening, slowing down even when it’s uncomfortable and even when there are no immediate results.
It’s also learning that we can hold two truths at the same time.
Grief and joy, for example. We don’t have to move past grief to experience joy. We can honor what hurts or what’s been lost and still allow ourselves moments of beauty and connection.
For me, that looks like remembering my mother. One of the simplest and most meaningful parts of my day used to be going to her house and making her tea. She always said yes. It wasn’t really about the tea it was about being together.
She’s no longer here, and there’s sadness in that. But I still drink tea every morning. Now my husband makes it for me. Sometimes, that small ritual feels like a lasting connection. Bittersweet, grounding, and very real.
On New Year’s Eve, we were home, and in the distance, beyond the dark outline of the mountains, we could see the glow of fireworks. Not the full display, just the shimmer of light against the night sky.
Later, it reminded me of life itself. Even when we can’t see the full picture, there is often light beyond the darkness if we’re willing to notice it.
It’s easy to focus on what we’ve lost, what hasn’t worked, or what we don’t yet have—a job we want, a business that hasn’t taken off, a relationship we long for.
But what if we widened the lens?
What if we asked, what is possible if I start generating it from within, if I tend to what nourishes me first?
I don’t believe our days are ever truly wasted if we’re learning.
I do believe we can get stuck repeating the same lessons. I don’t want that for myself or for you. I want to become more aware of what I’m learning, what to hold on to, and what to let go of. To build a life that reflects what I actually value, one day at a time.
That’s why I see this coming year as a blueprint shaped by what 2025 taught us. The joys, the disappointments, the losses, the unexpected moments. Life is finite. Each day is a gift. How we spend our days matters, not in a perfectionist way, but in an intentional one.
Small, micro choices shape a life: drinking water when you wake up, going for a short walk, journaling for five minutes, having one meaningful conversation, being mindful of what you eat. These aren’t dramatic transformations. They’re daily acts of care. Over time, they add up.
The quality of our lives is shaped by the quality of our thoughts, actions, beliefs, and the kindness we extend to ourselves—not by comparison, not by what others appear to be doing.
So I’ll leave you with this reflection:
What do you most value right now?
How might you let that guide the way you move through your days?
If this resonates, I invite you to explore it more deeply in my upcoming Values and Vision Workshop, designed to help you slow down, reflect, and intentionally align your life with what matters most. This will be an in-person workshop.
You’ll leave with clarity on your vision, guided by your values, and a practical, actionable plan you can carry all year. Dates are being finalized, and I’ll be sending a separate email soon with full details and a sign-up link.
For those who feel stuck or unsure about what comes next, I also offer Radical Clarity Sessions. A focused 90-minute intensive to uncover your top priority, understand what’s keeping you stuck, and map a clear, supportive path forward. More clarity. More confidence. More belief in what’s possible for you.
For now, be kind to yourself. Life can unfold in powerful ways if you allow yourself to truly see it.
With care, Marianne Marianne Preston Coaching
Looking Ahead:
Values and Vision Workshop Early February (exact dates coming soon) A hands-on, engaging, and deeply transformative session to align your values, spirit, and vision while creating a practical plan for the year. Not your usual goal-setting or vision board session—this is about embodying your vision.
✨ 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.
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
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