Have you ever looked back and realized just how much has changed without you fully noticing it?
Two years ago, I felt completely lost in my own body. I was doing all the “right” things, or so I thought, but my body was no longer responding the way it used to.
My mood was unpredictable, my energy felt flat, my sleep was a mess. The number on the scale kept climbing, and my pants were getting tighter despite solid eating and exercise habits.
And if I’m being honest, something deeper was happening too.
I quietly started doubting myself. Wondering if I had lost my edge. Questioning whether this was just my new normal.
I know I’m not alone in that feeling. I see so many women over 40 struggling in the same way and if that’s you, know this: you’re not broken, and you’re not failing. You are evolving, and your habits need to evolve as well.
Fast forward to today, and a lot has shifted.
Not because I worked harder. Not because I chased the scale more aggressively. But because I finally focused on what actually matters.
Slowing Down Enough to See the Truth
When I stopped long enough to look back, I realized something important:
Growth doesn’t just happen when you get things right. It also happens in the moments you miss the mark, overextend yourself, and choose to do things differently next time.
This reflection isn’t about setting new goals or rushing into the next version of yourself.
It’s about pausing. Taking inventory. Honoring both the wins and the lessons.
What I Nailed This Year 🎉
This year was a big one for my health.
I reached my weight loss goal of 15 pounds and more importantly, I’ve maintained that loss for nine months.
But the scale wasn’t the real win.
The real win was how I felt.
Here’s what actually moved the needle:
- Returning to the fundamentals instead of chasing trends
- Recommitting to strength training and prioritizing protein and fiber
- Implementing strategies I had never tried before, like intermittent fasting and carb cycling
- Tuning into my body and adjusting often because perimenopause loves to throw curveballs
I stopped fighting my body and started working with it.
And that shift changed everything.
I felt confident again. Energized. Strong.
That didn’t happen because I did more. It happened because I focused on small behaviors done consistently over time.
Real Client Wins: Proof the Basics Work
This theme showed up not just in my own journey, but in my clients’ lives too.
This year, I watched women:
- Lose inches without obsessing over the scale
- Rebuild trust with their bodies after years of frustration
- Get stronger in their 40s, 50s, and 60s than they ever thought possible
- Improve sleep, digestion, and energy by simplifying nutrition and modifying workouts to better support hormones
- Stay consistent through holidays, travel, sickness, and stress without feeling like they had to keep starting over
One client told me:
“This is the first time health has felt doable—even when life got messy.”
Another shared:
“I stopped trying to be perfect, and that’s when everything changed.”
That’s the power of behavior-based goals.
Not perfection. Not pressure.
Just integrity with the basics.
What I “Failed” At (And What I Learned Instead)
As the year came to a close, I realized something surprising.
My effort wasn’t the problem. My capacity was.
I took on a lot.
I tackled my health head-on. Started a podcast with zero experience. Built a business in a brand-new state. Moved my family a thousand miles. Navigated motherhood in an entirely new environment.
All of this happened on the heels of injuries and back-to-back major life changes.
None of these things were wrong. But stacked together, they were heavy.
I didn’t drop the ball, I overfilled my plate.
Pushed when my body needed rest. Said yes when a quieter season would have served me better. Held myself to standards that no longer fit the version of me I’m becoming.
The lesson wasn’t that I can’t do hard things.
It was this:
Just because I can do it all doesn’t mean that I should.
And that clarity changes everything.
What I’m Taking With Me Into 2026
More alignment. Listening to my intuition. Greater presence with my family. More joy, just because.
And fewer spinning plates. Fewer draining obligations. Fewer “shoulds.”
Because we only get these seasons once. We only get this version of ourselves once.
That’s why I’ve chosen a word for 2026:
SIMPLIFY
Not doing less for the sake of doing less.
But doing what matters most, better.
Last year, I simplified my health habits. This year, I’m applying those same principles to my home, my business, and my life as a whole.
A Gentle Reflection for You
Before you rush into the new year in goal-setting mode, I invite you to pause and reflect:
- What did you nail this year?
- What did you learn?
- What truly matters moving forward?
Celebrate the wins. Thank the lessons.
You’ve come so much farther than you think.
And remember:
Big change doesn’t start with big pressure. It starts with small daily habits.
Here’s to simplifying, honoring the season you’re in, and moving into the next year with clarity and confidence. To help you on your journey, download my 2026 Goal Setting Blueprint here.
Want to work with me in 2026? Book a strategy call here.
Missed the last episode? Listen here and read the blog here. It’s all about how to make your new year’s goals work for you and it pairs great with this one. Listen to them back to back and make your 2026 plan with the goal setting blueprint! We can even do it together on the call.
Happy Holidays!
Wishing you much love, health, and happiness in 2026,
Christine
