The start of a new year comes with high expectations. After a break, we often feel the weight of goals and resolutions hanging over us, pushing us to pick up momentum and hit the ground running. But you’ve been away from the action for a little while, and by Wednesday, the to-do list feels like it’s doubled. We expect to come back more focused, well rested and ready to take on the new year’s goals, but here’s the thing—not every start is going to feel fresh. Sometimes, it's a slow and steady comeback.
This week, I found myself feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of tasks and responsibilities on my plate. The weight of it all started to feel like too much. In those moments, I began to panic—how could I possibly keep up with this level of work forever?
But here’s the thing: Nothing lasts forever. Not the hard moments, not the easy ones. I realized that I didn’t need to worry about working at this rate forever. Instead, I asked myself one simple question: "Can I handle this for today?"
The answer was yes.
So instead of thinking about a nebulous "forever", I focused on just getting through the day. Tomorrow will come, and I’ll deal with it when it does.
If your first week back at work has felt less than perfect, know that you’re not alone. Everyone’s experienced a disappointing start at some point. But what matters most is not that we get Monday through Friday perfect, but that we continue showing up each day. Some of the moments I’m most proud of are the days that start hard and end better simply because I didn’t let myself stay down too long. It’s about progress over perfection and having a quick bounce-back time. It’s about showing up, adapting when we need to, and persisting.
We get to start again at any moment we choose.
P.S. It has been devastating to witness the fires in my hometown of LA. Our vibrant LA community is in my thoughts and if you or someone you know has been affected by the fires, we’d love to add some color to their life right now. In moments like these, a text, a hug, a warm cup of tea can go a long way—stay safe and stay connected, friends.