The start of a new year often comes with a burst of excitement—a clean slate, fresh goals, and the motivation to conquer it all. You hit the ground running, tackling everything on your list, but somewhere along the way, life happens. Work piles up, plans get disrupted, and those ambitious goals start to feel like an impossible burden.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by your goals, fallen off track, and beaten yourself up for it, you’re not alone. This is especially common for those of us who struggle with high-functioning anxiety, stress, or burnout.

What if this year, instead of setting rigid, outcome-driven goals, you focused on value-based intentions? This approach is not only more sustainable but also rooted in who you are, not just what you want to achieve.

Studies have shown that predictable repetitive routines are calming and help to reduce anxiety. You have a sense of control over your day which reduces that fear of the unknown.

You may have heard the expression that anxiety is the cousin of depression. Well, anxiety also has a best friend, and its name is self-sabotage.

I used to think meditation was a bunch of BS. I thought I “wasn’t good at it” because I couldn't sit still for more than a few seconds. I was convinced meditation wasn’t for me. Until I hit rock bottom.

What’s the trick to overcoming fear and anxiety? Well, warriors, I’d love to be able to share some quick wellness-coach-wisdom that instantly removes the anxiety and fear from your life, but unfortunately, that secret does not exist. There is no quick fix to overcoming fear and anxiety. It’s an aspect of your healing process that needs to be recognized and nurtured in order to be managed. But fear not. Through my own anxiety journey, I have developed a five-step process that I found to be incredibly healing for me as I learned to maintain my anxiety at a manageable level.

There are plenty of aspects of our lives that are out of our control. However, I’ve come to realize that the most powerful tool for a successful and happy life is not only within our control, it is only within our control: your mindset.