starting the year slow
Happy New Year, and welcome to the Becoming Bare Blog.
I am finally reviving this page and committing to writing more this year, as part of my goals and my value for connection—by sharing stories with our budding community.
I haven’t posted since spring last year for a few reasons, but mostly because I wasn’t sure how to position myself here. I was afraid of how credible my journey was, since it felt messier than I had imagined it to be. But now I realize that is the whole point—to connect through authenticity and vulnerability, and to inspire others through the journey. Like a friend sharing an update, not a someone trying to be perfect and tell you what to do.
So that’s the goal from here on out, and I hope it will translate into every post to come.
Now back to the focus of this blog post: starting the year slow.
Just like many of us, there’s always a rush and a lot of pressure to start on January 1st (or any date we attach ourselves to). For me, that was this week—the first full week of the year. I get it. This time comes with a lot of clean-slate energy and renewed hope that we will finally be this person or finally do that thing.
We often rush, forgetting that it’s important to reflect on the past and the reality of the present. And to take more than an hour—or a day—to do so. That way, we allow space for our realizations to settle, evolve, and clarify how we can live with more intention.
After all the traveling for the holidays, I knew I wasn’t going to start my year on January 1st. But I didn’t expect to not start this week either. While I did do a few things I had planned (finishing my reflections, listing intentions, buying a new laptop, and working out), I felt like I didn’t focus enough on my business, especially with the launch of my services happening the same week.
It was saddening to make the decision to travel again for another family trip, but it was important to my mom.
Honestly, I felt a bit demotivated by the specific situation and by the bigger reality of running a business while my life is constantly in motion, with my focus pulled in different directions (adulting and caregiving). It has made it hard to go all in—not just this time, but last year too.
When something keeps recurring, I take it as a clue that I need to do something differently. I know this time I need to fully accept, embrace, and change my perspective on it. Because deep in my heart, I know I want to make this work so badly. This is the life I want to live, where I’ve come to find my purpose.
And it was then that I realized this is what I want to focus on this year– to embody the kind of person this life is asking me to be. Someone more balanced, receptive, and self-trusting. Someone who doesn't take hardships as a sign to give up, but learns how to work around them and keep going.
This unexpected trip really reinforced that. So I’m actually grateful for this time. It was a great reminder that when things don’t go the way you planned, you don’t need to resist it. It’s and invitation to lean in, listen, and allow life to lead you, trusting that it will reveal the right path. I know this to be true, because this past year was a whole testimony to that.
After all of this, I’m ending the week feeling relieved—knowing there’s never a need to rush or force what’s meant for you. I know taking things slow, simple, and being true is key to building something sustainable. Taking off the pressure has made the journey feel more intentional and more enjoyable.
I now have better ideas about my intentions for this year, but like what I’ve learned, I’m giving them space to settle and evolve for a bit.
More on the intention-setting process in the next post.
