A Quiet Start (And why I’m trusting it)

This year didn’t start with big plans, a night out, or big resolutions for me.
No word of the year taped to my mirror, or even floating around in my mind.
No “this is the year I’m doing all the things” energy.

Instead, it started quietly — with an early bedtime and zero idea what Ryan Seacrest or the rest of the world was up to after Wheel of Fortune. 😊

Part of the quiet came from something really good — a new relationship that’s brought a steadiness into my life that feels safe, secure, calm, seen, and loved. Nothing rushed. Just something that reminds me I don’t have to “adjust” myself all the time.

Honestly? I’m really feeling this vibe.
I’m all for it.
I’m not only loving it — I’m trusting it.

And maybe that’s because if this past year taught me anything, it’s this:

I found strength I didn’t know I still had.
And trust I leaned into when things felt too heavy.

It was a year of a lot of questioning.
A year of celebrating.
A year with challenges.
A year of love.

A year that stretched me like no other as a mom.

A lot of moments I wanted time to stand still for.
A lot of moments I wished would end a little quicker.
And a lot of moments that slowed me down and had me looking at things differently.

Moments that shifted the thought, “I don’t know if I’m strong enough to do this.”
And yet, looking back, I made it through - a realization we probably need to remind ourselves of more often.

We always make it through.
And we’re stronger than we think.

This year also reminded me — in the hardest, most honest ways — that you never really know when something will be the last time.

The last conversation.
The last laugh.
The last “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
The last hug.

This past year reminded me of that more than once.

And I know far too many people this year for whom “the last time” isn’t just a thought — it’s been their reality.

For me, almost losing my sister — twice.

And hearing that my niece suffered a stroke. Watching them both recover, rebuild, and heal — just another reminder that nothing in life is guaranteed.

Moments and phone calls that stop you in your tracks.
That make you pause and really think about what matters.

And layered into all of that were my own adversities — the kind that don’t always get talked about or show up on social media but still quietly shape you all the same.

When life taps you on the shoulder like that, it changes how you move forward.
It changes your perspective.
It changes what matters.

You start paying attention differently.
You stop rushing through moments.
You hold people a little longer.
You laugh a little louder.
You love a little deeper.
You trust a little more.

You choose presence and peace over pressure.
You choose connections over possessions.
You let conversations with the people you love linger a little longer.

So, while the world might feel loud right now — full of uncertainty, rushing, goal setting, and pressure to have it all figured out — I’m choosing something different.

I’m starting quietly.

Not because I lack motivation.
Not because I don’t have dreams or plans.
But because life has taught me how to move a little more intentionally.
Because it’s reminded me how quickly things can change — and that nothing is guaranteed.

A quiet start.
Choosing what matters a little more carefully.
It feels right for where I am right now.

This year, I’m letting myself believe:

That slowing down doesn’t mean stuck.
That quiet moments still count.
That listening — to myself and others — matters.

This year feels less about the pedaling and more about paying attention.

About letting things unfold.
About listening more than rushing.

There’s a different kind of strength in this season.
The kind that comes from making it through the hard things, learning as you go, and still choosing to show up — even when life hasn’t been gentle.

So, if your year is starting softly too…
If you’re easing in instead of pedaling yourself faster…
If you’re honoring what you’ve been through rather than pushing and rushing past it…

You’re not behind. You’re paying attention. And that feels like a pretty good way to begin.

Quietly.
Intentionally.
Softly.
On purpose.

-Nikki 💛