To Make Fitness Goals… or Not Make Goals?

Hello Reader

If you’re opening this email feeling motivated, tired, hopeful, overwhelmed—or somewhere in between—you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be.

The first week of January often comes with a lot of noise:
New goals. New routines. New expectations.
And sometimes… a lot of pressure.

So before we talk about fitness, health, or what this year should look like, I want to ask you something simpler:

What is your relationship with the start of a new year?

Are you someone who sets bold resolutions and vows to be completely different by January 1st?
Or have you tried strict plans before—cutting out carbs, sugar, rest days—only to burn out, get injured, or feel discouraged a few weeks later?

Maybe it’s sounded like:

“No sugar. No carbs. I’m going vegan.”

And then a few days later—after a pounding headache—you’re eating whatever feels comforting and familiar.

No judgment here.
Because once upon a time, that was me.

Then I swung the other way and told myself, “It’s just another day,” and made no space for reflection at all.

What I’ve learned over the years—both personally and professionally—is this:

Goals matter. But only when they’re rooted in compassion, intention, and real life.

The Shift That Changed Everything

As I’ve grown into my roles as a physical therapist, entrepreneur, wife, and mom, I’ve stopped chasing rigid resolutions.

Instead, I set intentions.

Intentions that consider:

my body
my energy
my season of life

One of the biggest lessons of 2025 was realizing that my personal life and my work are not separate.

My brand is not a version of me—it is me.
My values, creativity, humor, lived experience, and purpose all belong in the same space.

When I stopped trying to compartmentalize myself, everything felt lighter—and more aligned.

That same idea applies to health.

Your fitness journey doesn’t live in isolation.
It lives alongside stress, family, work, hormones, pain, joy, grief, and growth.

My Intention for 2026

This year, my intention is simple:
to be softer with myself.

That looks like:

respecting my body with nourishing food
managing stress through breathing, stretching, and movement
exercising consistently—but not excessively
resting when my body asks for it
saying yes to aligned opportunities and no to burnout

Not perfection.
Not punishment.
Just presence.

So… Do We Make Fitness Goals or Not?

Here’s my perspective:

Make a realistic intention that supports long-term health.

Nearly half of adults in the U.S. set health-related resolutions each year, yet only about 10% stick with them.

Often, it’s because goals are tied to external motivators:
a number, a look, an outfit.

This year, I invite you to try something different.

Choose a goal that is intrinsic—something that genuinely matters to your life.

For example:

“I want to move consistently so I can play with my kids as I age.”
“I want to eat in a way that supports my blood pressure and joint health.”
“I want to prioritize sleep so I can recover better and show up with more energy.”

These goals don’t rush you.
They support you.