January: The Trial Month of the Year

Anyone else think January should just be the trial month for the year, and then we decide whether we want to continue our subscription?

I really struggled with stepping into a new year. 2024 was full of challenges, unexpected situations, and moments of feeling completely blindsided by life. And honestly? I wasn’t sure I was up for that challenge again.

As the new year began, I found myself having conversations with friends—talking about life, about what I wanted this next year to look like. It’s so easy to get stuck replaying everything that’s happened, to sit in the weight of the disappointments and the struggles. And I get it—life is really hard sometimes.

It’s easy to stay angry.

Angry at how people have treated me.
Angry that I have to be both mom and dad in my home, carrying a role I was never meant to fill.
Angry that my kids don’t have a father in their lives.
Angry that I’m doing this all on my own, without a partner to come home to for support.

That anger is valid. The hurt is real. But the longer I sit in it, the more I realize that staying in that place doesn’t change anything—it only drains me. And at some point, I have to ask myself: Is this where I want to stay?

But here’s the thing: you can either choose to let your life be defined by what’s happened to you, or you can choose to grow and become more than the labels others have placed on you. Because at the end of the day, how people treat you says more about them than it ever will about you.

Through all of this, one word kept resurfacing for me: perspective.

Life is going to life. There will be struggles, heartaches, and moments that feel too heavy to carry. But we get to choose what we focus on. Sometimes, the pain of the moment can feel all-consuming, making it impossible to see past it. But when I take a step back and shift my perspective, things look different, and I have so much to be grateful for.

Am I exactly where I thought I’d be in life? No. Does my life look anything like the plans I once had? Not even close. But when I put things into perspective . . .

• I have three amazing, healthy kids. They are my greatest joy.
• I own my home. A place that is mine, a place we make memories in.
• I have a job that allows me to provide for my family.
• I have friends who show up—the ones who listen, laugh, and remind me who I am. And challenge me when I need it.
• I have the ability to dream, to create, to build something meaningful.
• I am still here. I have survived 100% of my worst days.

And that means something.

So maybe January isn’t just a trial month—it’s a reminder. A chance to step back, adjust our perspective, and decide how we want to move forward. Not out of fear of what might come, but with the belief that no matter what, we will keep going. Because we always do.

How are you choosing to see things differently this year? I’d love to hear your perspective.

Stay strong, stay fierce.