January is the reset for many post-holiday season, including creating new goals and vision casting, doing dry January, spiritual fasts, returning to the gym, and restarting therapy. However, 2025 crashed in like a tree on a house in the middle of the night.
With the whirlwind of events, creating and/or focusing on your goals may not be at the forefront of your mind. The husbae and I had our Q1 goal meeting where we established goals that I fight to remember daily. With the abundance of information overload and current events, I struggled to give 100% towards my goals. I started a 12-week year with my two accountability partners, and each week, where you track your progress by looking at how many goals you accomplished for that week out of the set goals. After reviewing my progress, I realized my score was 61%.
My teacher’s brain is like, that’s essentially a D, pretty much an F. Thank goodness for my accountability group, who refused to let me cement those thoughts as truth. I was challenged to consider why I expected to hit 100% every week. Truth be told, I have a nasty habit of living with the “all or nothing” mindset. I’m giving 100% or nothing at all, which served me well in previous seasons of my life. However, my life doesn’t look the same, and applying the same mindset to my life today keeps me in a perpetual cycle where I constantly think I’m not doing enough and failing. I translated 61% as a failure.
Which is a lie.
If I look back on the past week, here’s a brief glimpse of what factored into my 61%:
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Going to church
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Going to the gym 4 times
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Doing 13 therapy sessions
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Emotionally supporting friends through layoffs
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Managing my business responsibilities
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Numerous meetings
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Meal prepping
My 61% isn’t a failure. It’s a testament to what I could accomplish despite the ever-changing demands of life, and for that, I’m insanely proud of myself. (whisper: I made it to the gym 4 times y’all).
This would be the perfect opportunity for me to segue into saying, “Give yourself grace,” but I want to go a little deeper and charge you this month with operating within your capacity.
“Ambition and self-care can coexist.”
Well, what does that mean, Bev? Thank you for asking! When working toward goals, operating within your capacity doesn’t mean limiting yourself—it means setting yourself up for sustainable progress. Ambition and self-care can coexist. Feeling frustration, impatience, or even doubt is normal when trying to move forward while honoring your limits. Those emotions don’t mean you’re failing; they’re signals inviting you to reassess your approach.
For your consideration:
Align your effort with capacity fluctuations—even when you feel like you should be doing more. Some days, you’ll have more energy and focus than others. That’s not a flaw—it’s part of being human. You’re not a machine. Instead of judging yourself on what you “should” be able to do, recognize your energy levels as valuable data. What would it look like to work with yourself instead of against yourself? Giving yourself grace doesn’t mean lowering your standards; it means adjusting your approach so that you can keep going in a sustainable way. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.
Prioritize & set boundaries—even when guilt arises. You might feel guilty for saying no or pulling back, especially if you’re used to being the one who “handles everything.” Guilt is often a sign that you care deeply, but it doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong. Instead of letting guilt drive your decisions, acknowledge it and ask yourself: Am I saying yes because I want to or because I feel obligated? Prioritizing what truly matters allows you to be present in a way that feels steady for you and your relationships. One of my mentors says this often, “If it’s not an immediate yes, then it’s a no.”
Tune into your mental & physical health—even when it feels easier to push through. You might be used to ignoring your needs to take care of everything else first. If slowing down feels unfamiliar, that’s okay. But your body and mind give you signals for a reason. Instead of waiting until you’re completely drained, practice small check-ins: What do I need right now? Responding to those needs—whether it’s rest, food, movement, or quiet—allows you to function at your best, not just for yourself but for those who depend on you.
Let February be your reset, and move with the expectancy that your best efforts are enough. Each day grants you the opportunity to realign, adjust, and move in a way that honors your ambition and well-being.
You’re not behind.
You’re not failing.
You’re in motion.
And that’s enough.
Here’s to a February filled with intentional progress, self-compassion, and sustainable success.
P.S. Happy Blackity Black History Month
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