January Recap: Choosing Intention
After a December lived beautifully but fully, it would have been easy to slide into January still riding the wave of holiday indulgence. Too much drinking. Too many celebratory meals. No real routine because of airports, hotels, and living out of a suitcase.
Instead, January became about something quieter. More deliberate. One word kept surfacing for me: intentionality.
I didn’t set out to conquer Dry January. I wasn’t making bold declarations or dramatic promises. I simply wanted a reset – a small detox after the holidays. A chance to feel clear again.
But then something interesting happened.
I felt good.
The sleep improved. My energy stabilized. My mood felt steady. And without pressure or rigidity, I just… kept going. What started as a gentle pause turned into three full weeks alcohol-free. My first drink wasn’t until January 23 in Chicago. Three weeks that proved to me that I don’t need a glass of wine to unwind after a long day. Three weeks that reminded me how powerful it is to simply decide.
And this wasn’t a month spent hiding at home.
I traveled to Raleigh for a client trip — and didn’t drink.
I flew to Tampa to spend a weekend with my best friend — and didn’t drink.
Those moments mattered. Because it’s one thing to skip a random Friday night drink at home. It’s another thing entirely to sit at a dinner table, at a bar, in celebration, and consciously choose differently.
When I did decide to have a drink, it felt aligned. We were invited by one of my husband’s work connections to a private suite at the United Center to watch my hometown Tampa Bay Lightning play the Chicago Blackhawks. That felt like an occasion. A memory. A reason. Not just the end of a stressful week.
And that distinction felt important.
January in New York is not glamorous. It’s cold. It’s dark. It can be stressful and heavy. Historically, that’s a season where it’s easy to cave: to pour something warm and comforting just because the day was long. But I didn’t. Not out of restriction. Out of choice.
Another layer that made this month especially meaningful was the accountability and encouragement woven into it. Through this challenge, my mentor Beth has been such a steady source of motivation — and the best part is, we truly check in on each other. She shares her own wins, what’s working for her, the small strategies that make consistency easier. In turn, I share mine. It’s not about perfection; it’s about progress and honesty. Knowing someone else is walking a similar path: celebrating small victories, navigating real life, and choosing intention makes it easier to stay committed. Community, even just one person, changes everything.
In January alone, I logged 184,686 steps — an average of nearly 6,000 steps per day. Some days were strong double-digit thousands. Some days were slower. But the consistency was there. Even in the cold. Even in the stress. Even on the days that would have been easy to skip it. That steady movement built on December’s momentum and reminded me that progress doesn’t require perfection — it requires participation.
The Clean Eating Challenge continues to be less about perfection and more about awareness. I kept introducing more fruits and vegetables. More whole foods. More simple, nourishing meals. I kept moving, building on the foundation of December’s momentum. And the results are showing. My weight continues to decrease, yes – but more importantly, I feel good. Clear. Grounded. Capable.
January wasn’t loud. It wasn’t flashy. It didn’t involve international travel or holiday sparkle.
It was steady.
And in many ways, that feels even more powerful.
Intentionality is a muscle. This month, I strengthened it.
AND I got my Apple watch back. That felt good 🙂
