mindfulness – DEEP ROOTS

The final quarter of 2024 was about grounding myself in purpose and living with intention. These months challenged me to step into the present, balance my adaptability with authenticity, and embrace the magic I bring to the people who matter most. As the year came to a close, I was reminded that true progress starts with showing up—with all the vulnerability, effort, and love that requires.

October: Be who you needed.

By October, I had taken stock of my year and asked myself, “How can I bring what I’ve learned to others?” I decided to let go of self-doubt and comparisons and focus on living in the present—just the present. Not the past, not the future, but right here, right now. Choosing to stay in the moment requires thought and effort on my part. As someone who has always been a planner and naturally reflective, this hasn’t come easily. I’m still growing in this area, but I’ve asked my peers to hold me accountable, and it’s making a difference.

I started reflecting on the challenges I’ve faced as a trainer, leader, and working parent. Then, I began talking about it. I shared stories with peers during mentorship sessions, gave specific advice rooted in my experiences, and showed up as someone I needed during my own struggles. It’s not always easy to be vulnerable, but I’ve learned that the best way to grow yourself—and others—is to show up and share your truth.

November: Balancing Adaptability with Authenticity.

By November, I had gained a deeper understanding of the toll that balancing adaptability and conviction can take. My years of leadership development taught me to focus on what works best for the collective group, and I approached situations with flexibility to meet the team’s needs. However, my adaptable approach was sometimes perceived as indecision, which required me to reprioritize direct communication and be more intentional with every message. While this effort led to results, it often felt one-sided, as I didn’t always experience the same willingness to adapt from others.

In 2025, I plan to foster a culture of shared flexibility, where collaboration and progress come from mutual effort. Adapting takes work, but it’s most effective when all team members contribute equally to meeting in the middle. This year has shown me how much growth is possible when adaptability and respect are embraced collectively, and I’m committed to continuing this work with my team.

December: To my kids, I am magic.

As the year winds down, I’ve taken my usual week off to spend time with my family. Upstairs, my twins are loudly resisting bedtime, and my 4-year-old is happily glued to my side. We’ve just wrapped up a beautiful Christmas, and as I reflect, I’m struck by how different life feels from this time last year. The trials of this year pushed me to my limits, yet in my kids’ eyes, I am magic. They see me as their light, their safe place, their constant—and they don’t need me to prove it.

I don’t have to convince them of my worth or explain my value; they feel it in everything I do for them. Heading into 2025, I hope to carry that reminder with me: my worth isn’t defined by anyone else’s standards but by the love I bring to my home and family. As long as I’m keeping our home happy, safe, and wrapped in love, I am succeeding. My kids remind me that I am magic, and I hope to honor that gift every day in the year ahead.

Closing Thoughts: Ending the Year With Intention

The final quarter of 2024 reminded me of the power of showing up—with honesty, adaptability, and purpose. Whether it’s sharing your experiences to help others, adapting to meet challenges head-on, or simply being present for the people you love, progress begins when you’re willing to give your full self to the moment.

As I reflect on the year as a whole, I see how each quarter built upon the last. Transitions taught me resilience, self-awareness strengthened my purpose, discomfort led to growth, and presence helped me find clarity in what matters most. Each season of 2024 brought its own unique lessons, and together they shaped a year of transformation.

Heading into 2025, I’m carrying these lessons with me: to focus on what truly matters, to lead with authenticity, and to honor the magic I bring to the lives of those around me. Growth doesn’t stop at the end of a calendar year—it’s a continuous process, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to embrace it with intention and courage.

April: Resilience and consistency keep working parents going.

By this point in the year, I’d been back at work for nearly three months, and my kids still weren’t sleeping through the night. Sleepless nights are part of parenting, but months of running on 2-4 hours of sleep had me questioning my sanity. After my birthday in March, I bragged to coworkers about the full night of sleep I finally got, thanks to Evan taking the babies downstairs. Some didn’t get why I was so excited, but it was life-changing—my first uninterrupted sleep since the third trimester.

Even though we’re getting better sleep now, we’ve learned that a strong routine is the key to keeping our family on track. We have to get up, get going, and keep going until the last kid is in bed and we’ve managed the basics for ourselves, like eating dinner and stealing a moment of time together. There’s no time to waste, and consistency makes it all possible. Looking back, I’m amazed at the stamina it took to function during those harder months, but I’m proud of the resilience and discipline that have carried us through.

May: Quick Doesn’t Mean Thoughtless

At the end of April, I surprised myself by getting a tattoo of the Tiffany lamp that sat in my grandparents’ home. Normally, I’m a planner who deliberates over every decision, but when I saw a similar design online, I knew instantly it was what I wanted. I booked the artist on the spot.

In May, as I reflected on that moment, I realized the decision wasn’t impulsive—it was deeply aligned. I’d been thinking about honoring my grandparents for years, and when the right design appeared, I acted. This experience taught me that acting quickly doesn’t mean acting thoughtlessly. It means trusting yourself when everything falls into place.

June: Therapy is cool.

This year, I found a therapist who I really connected with—someone who has been helping me process the birth trauma and anxiety I’ve been carrying. At one point, I took a step back and said to myself, “I’ve gone through an overwhelming amount of change in the last year, and I don’t think I’m handling it as well as I could be.” I knew I was doing the best I could, but it’s impossible to gain perspective when you’re in the deep end.

Therapy has been an immeasurably helpful tool for me. It’s given me space to untangle the emotions I’d been pushing aside and to better understand myself in this new phase of life. Sometimes, the hardest part is admitting that you need help—but when you find the right person to guide you through it, the relief and clarity are undeniable. Therapy really is cool.

Closing Thoughts: Embracing Self-Awareness

This quarter was a reminder that self-awareness isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s essential. Whether it’s recognizing your resilience as a parent, trusting your instincts when a decision feels right, or seeking professional help to process life’s challenges, the ability to connect with yourself makes all the difference. These months taught me to trust myself more deeply and to prioritize clarity, even when the path forward isn’t easy.

Stay tuned for lessons learned in Q3, where discomfort and growth took center stage. Each quarter brought its own unique challenges, but with every step, I moved closer to becoming the best version of myself.

Tag Archives: mindfulness

Q4 2024 Reflections: Purpose Through Presence