25 Things that Worked in 2025
Admitting and accepting I am in perimenopause. Pay attention to what is happening.
Keeping a food diary. Why it makes a difference, I am not sure: but it does. I cut my cholesterol way down.
Going to the gym to maintain muscles and general health. They say you won’t keep a habit if it isn’t how you see yourself. I never saw myself as a gym buff, and it made it hard to go to the gym regularly. But I do see myself as someone who maintains health.
Tweaking routines: change something if it isn’t working: morning and evening routines, weekly, monthly, and quarterly routines.
Stacking habits: rather than create a completely new habit- tweaking how they are done in small ways and adding new ones in connection with already existing ones you are good at.
Following feels and connecting with intuition. Feelings are real but they might not always be true.
Being intentional.
Embracing life phases: #familyera. It has been a really beautiful thing to be 8 blocks from my mom and my sister just a set of stairs away. I know this phase isn’t forever, but after 17 years away in Brazil, it is a blessing I never thought I’d have.
Getting involved in the neighborhood. Meeting our neighbors.
A close bakery. The fresh bread brings life to me and was a homesick feeling I left in Brazil. Love being near a great Mexican grocery store/grill as well.
Take care of your health and the health of those around you.
Family bike rides! Family 5ks!
Being a cat family. Blur fits for all of us.
Family traditions: Taco Tuesdays, cabin camping, Madison Christmas trip, state fair, covered bridge fest are lifegiving staples that are so fun.
When the moment comes up (and you know when it does) stop and take the time to parent. Active parenting is hard but worth it.
You don’t have to focus on everything all the time (you can’t) but you do need some time of focus for each thing sometimes.
Listening to audio books (radio theater) in the car with the girls
Reading books aloud to the girls while snuggling
Our library system: we got out over 600 books this year
Hospitality: having a regular time set aside to have people in so you keep this character muscle strong
Planning big family trips WAY in advance, because all the details take forever to bring to life
Making sure to plan out all school breaks because otherwise I go nuts
Gardening, and grabbing my girls to help me
Knowing I need nature. Even when it is cold and hard to do
Celebrating things. Especially moments like when Caid dropped an album of songs that didn’t exist except in his head and they were born into the world for all of us to enjoy.