Happy New Year
I know we are a few days in, but I still want to say it.
Because for me, the year did not begin with noise, rush, or pressure. It began quietly. Intentionally. In church.
When January began, I did not walk into the year with big expectations hanging over my head. I had already done my reflections at the end of December. I knew what mattered most to me.
I wanted to close the old year in church.
I wanted to start the new year in church.
I wanted God at the center.
I have learned that when I place heavy expectations on myself, especially as a mother, disappointment follows quickly. Past years taught me that lesson gently and sometimes painfully.
So this year, I chose grace early.
And still, even with that decision, pressure found its way in.
When scrolling quietly makes you feel behind
I did not feel behind because I failed to meet a plan.
I felt behind because I scrolled.
I saw beautiful posts. Achievements. Wins. People selling more, doing more, showing up confidently. And even though I count my blessings, I could not help but feel like maybe I should have worked harder.
Maybe I should have achieved more.
Maybe I should be further along.
Maybe I should be doing better with my goals, my products, even my children.
Not because I am ungrateful.
But because comparison has a quiet way of entering the heart.
The pressure of trying to be everything at once
What made me feel late was not one post in particular.
It was the picture of women who seem to be doing everything well at the same time.
The intentional mother.
The present wife.
The achieving entrepreneur.
The woman who has it all together.
I felt tempted to fill every role fully, all at once. Motherhood. Marriage. Purpose. Business.
That pressure often starts as energy. Motivation. A desire to do more.
Then real life happens.
One child cries.
Another needs attention.
Energy drops.
The body gets tired.
And suddenly, what felt inspiring becomes draining.
The truth comparison almost made me forget
Comparison almost made me forget that grace looks different on everyone.
It made me forget that I do not know another woman’s story. Her support system. Her season. Her capacity.
God gives grace according to assignment, not according to social media timelines.
I was also encouraged by a reflection I read recently that reminded me that rest and trust are part of faith, not signs of weakness.
I remind myself often that comparison is the thief of joy. And when I catch myself there, I try not to stay.
I shared more of my thoughts in my post about intentional living as a mother, especially when life does not go as planned.
My real life, honestly
My real life right now looks like this.
I am a mother of two. One infant. One preschooler.
I am a wife.
I am a woman who desires to live intentionally while still holding space for dreams and passions.
Social media does not always show the sick days.
The tired days.
The moments when rest is necessary and progress is quiet.
And because those moments are unseen, we sometimes forget to give ourselves grace.
Faithfulness that no one applauds
Right now, my faithfulness looks quiet.
It looks like trusting God.
It looks like showing up imperfectly.
It looks like resting when energy is low.
It looks like continuing gently.
I am learning not to despise humble beginnings.
Not to despise starting over.
Because every restart carries wisdom.
A slow start is not failure
A slow start is not failure if you keep going.
Sometimes slowness is wisdom.
Sometimes it is protection.
Sometimes it is God inviting us to look at Him instead of looking around.
God has been teaching me in the quiet that my life is my own. My assignment is mine.
And intentional living, especially in low energy seasons, looks like choosing what truly matters and letting the rest wait.
If you did not start the year perfectly, you are not alone.
Starting imperfectly is better than not starting at all.
Happy New Year again
May this year meet you with grace, not pressure.
