The January Reset Challenge ✨

Sunday Sanctuary #20 - my 2025 intentions, how the idea of alignment changed my life, and a January community challenge

Happy New Year Beautiful!!

Yes, yes I know—we’ve been a bit quiet here over the past two weeks.

With that, I’m not being too hard on myself—hopefully like many of you, I’ve been on vacation, soaking up some much-needed rest and family time ✨

That said, I am excited to be back here for our first 2025 Sunday Sanctuary

and even more excited to double down on more Substack posts come January—we have lottssss of content lined up for ya, so stay tuned 😚

After 2-3 weeks of travel, I’m super happy to be home

With that, it also feels a bit overwhelmed

• the endless list of things on my to-do list for work

• feeling out of my routine, physically and emotionally

• the New Years “resolution” list I want to start implementing

anddddd tomorrow’s Monday

I find that whenever a new year rings in, it feels like a fresh slate. It’s this symbolic time of introspection, intention and growth.

AND it can also feel like this pressure filled, overwhelming, “better be the best version of myself” time of year

So I’m sharing with you how I handle the New Year craze, my thoughts on resolutions, and the January Reset I’m doing 👇🏼

Here’s what you can expect in today’s Sunday Sanctuary:

🕊️ Personal Musings: my view on “resolutions,” my personal 2025 goals, and things I’m bringing in to support my mind and body this year

☕️ Understanding: the idea of alignment and what it means when our words, actions, and behaviors aren’t lining up

🕯️ Recommending: a morning routine for a January Reset

🙏🏼 The Action Step: start the January Reset (and keep me posted!!)

I really never set Resolutions

Resolutions = a firm decision to do or not to do something

Intentions = a thing intended; an aim or plan

which one sounds like there’s more room for flexibility, compassion, awareness? 🤔

The issue I take with resolutions is that we are dynamic beings. Most of us don’t just change a behavior overnight because we decide to.

In fact, we know there are are ~5 stages to behavior change…and only 1 actually involves action

Meaning, as human beings, our ability to change is greatly dependent on our relationship, thoughts, values, contemplation etc. about said behavior

Not only that, but our ability to sustain change often there includes relapse, hurdles, bumps in the road, resistance etc.

bottom line? behavior change is hard and complication

With that, New Years can make us feel like we should be ready and able to implement any change that comes to mind

When in fact, I find many people make resolutions while they’re still in the contemplative stage - meaning, they know there’s a problem they want to work on and have prob been thinking about it, and then when Jan 1 comes around, and they say “I’m going to do it”

The issue is that there’s no real preparation. No real understanding of the compromise or trade off entailed. No compassion for themselves as they do the hard thing.

So what do we see happens?

By Jan 6th, SO many of us are already “falling off the wagon” (some studies have shown that nearly ~25% of us abandon our resolutions by week 1)

and often we are left feeling discouraged and disappointed in ourselves

psttt girly you’re really not alone~ resolutions in many ways are set up for us to fail. The expectation, pressure, and lack of true understanding of how to implement them and our “why” leave us with little room to truly succeed

This is why I stopped making resolutions a few years ago (after 10 years of making a resolution to “stop biting my nails” that never went anywhere)

Instead, I find intentions offer way more room for introspection, strengthening of self, progress, and growth.

While resolutions focus on the behavior, intentions focus on the values.

While resolutions say “you must do this,” intentions say “have you thought about applying it this way?”

While resolutions are all or nothing, intentions can grow with you

See, an intention allow us to go into the why. It begs the question “what is something we want to work on that is deeper than a behavior?”

So an intention is often a bit bigger - it could be around self-respect, confidence, health, kindness, gratitude etc.

And from there, once we connect with our “why,” we then can look at different action steps we can take to live out that intention.

we can feel rooted in intentions, using them as a deeper motivation and anchored value that guides aligned action/behavior

For me, my intentions this year are:

• To show up authentically, without fear or judgement of others or myself

• To continue to embrace self love, through all stages of difficulty and distress

• To create more time for the rituals and practices that allow my heart to sing

And what is the 1 step I’m focusing on specifically for Jan to keep me accountable and moving closer to my intentions?

• A morning routine that is flexible but consistently brings in meditation, journaling, and self-love (which embraces those 3 intentions)

By understanding my intentions, I can allow it to permeate through all aspects of my life, seeing how I can constantly live in alignment.

With that, by creating a smaller (and attainable) action step from there, I can still keep my intention focused for a short period of time.

The key in this step is that it is flexible.

The accountability is through showing up for myself daily in the mornings.

The flexibility is that some days it might be a 5 minute routine. Others 30.

Some days it might includes yoga as a form of self-love; others, maybe self-love is cooking a nourishing breakfast

This lets me tune into me and see what I really need day to day, while still honoring my intentions and holding myself accountable.

The idea of alignment changed my life

A mentor once shared a metaphor that has stuck with me—a simple yet powerful illustration of what happens when we experience internal misalignment.

Picture this: Your emotions, thoughts, words, and actions all pile into a car.

• Emotions shout, “Let’s go left!!!!! It feels right in my gut.”

• Thoughts, the overthinker chimes in: “Wait, hold on. We should analyze this. Maybe going right makes more sense.”

• Words, trying to keep the peace, suggest, “How about we go straight ahead? That seems neutral and keeps everyone calm.”

• Actions, the impulsive one seeking gratification “Let’s just go fast!”

Now, what happens to the car?

It either:

• Stalls completely—frozen and stuck, unable to move forward.

• Or lurches chaotically in one direction, driven by a single force while the others simmer in frustration.

The result? A bumpy, uncomfortable ride with lots of backseat driving and internal chaos

hopefully, you’re still with me on this metaphor

This is what happens when our internal compass is out of alignment. We feel torn, conflicted, and drained, unable to move forward with clarity or purpose.

I’ve come to understand this as a form of “dis-ease”—a state where everything feels harder than it should be.

Finding Alignment

Alignment isn’t about perfection. It’s about creating harmony by anchoring ourselves to our values.

When we know what truly matters to us, we create an internal map that guides us forward.

Values act as the glue, bringing our emotions, thoughts, words, and actions together.

When we’re aligned, we feel clarity, ease, and flow.

When we’re not, we can feel it - the disharmony internally.

When we’re aware, we can then notice the discrepancies and gently course-correct.

Here’s how misalignment might show up:

• Value: “I want to take care of my health.”

  • Misalignment: Eating foods that leave you sluggish.

  • Result: You feel guilty and spiral into negative self-talk, making it harder to make healthy choices.

  • Realignment: Reflect on why health matters to you. Is there an emotion driving your choices that isn’t aligned with health? Take one small step, like choosing a meal that feels nourishing.

or maybe

• Value: “Being kind to others is important.”

  • Misalignment: Gossiping about others in social settings.

  • Result: You feel shame, recognizing your actions don’t reflect who you want to be. The self-criticism that follows often undermines kindness to yourself.

  • Realignment: Notice what’s driving the gossip and how you feel going into social settings—anxiety? overstimulation? Shift the focus to conversations that uplift and align with your desire to spread positivity.

now obviousllyyyyyy things are more complex than this, but it can hopefully start to shine a new light and how we approach ourselves

A New Approach

So how can we use alignment to actually fuel commitment to ourselves and desired behavior change

Let’s take a common goal: “I want to be healthy.”

In a resolution or discipline based approach, you might decide: “I’ll intermittent fast until noon and eat a salad.”

At first, this feels exciting, but here’s what often happens:

• Emotions: Start with excitement but turn into anxiety and fear about staying “on track.”

• Thoughts: Flip-flop between commitment and self-criticism.

• Words: You share this resolution as a “healthy behavior,” reinforcing guilt if you slip.

• Actions: Hunger overtakes you, leading to reactive choices, like eating a croissant at 10 a.m., and triggering more guilt.

This cycle is driven by fear and perfectionism

Now, let’s approach it differently.

Instead, you first ask: “Why do I want to be healthy?”

You might uncover a deeper value: “I value self-care and want to honor my body.”

With this value in mind, the approach shifts:

• Emotions: Rooted in joy and self-compassion.

• Thoughts: Mindful, avoiding harsh self-criticism, even with slip ups as a way to offer self-care

• Words: Reflecting intention, such as: “I’m exploring ways to nourish my body.”

• Actions: Guided by hunger cues, making choices that feel sustainable and supportive.

This value-driven approach aligns every part of you, allowing for mistakes, flexibility, and compassion.

We stop the battle with ourselves between our mind, our mood, and our choices.

Practical Steps to Align Your Inner Compass

Here’s how to get your emotions, thoughts, words, and actions into the same car, heading in the same direction:

Here’s how to bring your emotions, thoughts, words, and actions into harmony:

1. Pause and Reflect
   When you feel stuck, off track, or conflicted, pause. Ask yourself:

   • What am I feeling?

   • What am I thinking?

   • What am I doing?

   • And is there a misalignment with a deeper value here?

2. Anchor to Your Values

   • Clarify what truly matters to you—energy, longevity, self-care?

   • Ask yourself:

     • What am I already doing that aligns with my values? Celebrate those wins!

     • What am I doing that’s out of alignment? For example, negative self-talk, skipping movement, or engaging in habits that don’t serve you.

3. Address the Conflict

   • If your emotions or thoughts feel resistant or are rooted in fear, anger, etc, explore why. What fears are coming up?

   • If your words are misaligned, practice speaking authentically and honestly about your goals.

   • If your actions aren’t aligned, start small. Take one intentional step that reflects your values.

4. Create Consistency

   • Alignment isn’t a one-time effort—it’s a practice.

   • Create 1-3 small, practical steps that you can check in on daily to help move you closer to your intention

   • Regularly check in with yourself to ensure your emotions, thoughts, words, and actions remain in harmony.

A Morning January Reset

So with that, I’m sharing a morning routine that I think most could benefit from

The value around this is: self-devotion

inspired by a friend of mine a few days ago via DM chat, as we talked about the difference between discipline and devotion

With self-devotion, it is all about creating moments of self-connection and care

and we’re doing that with a morning routine that honors YOU

Here’s how it works:

Every morning, carve out somewhere between 15-30 minutes for a morning routine (cause most of us have at least 15 minutes we can squeeze in)

And we’ll follow this 3-step routine

1. EASING THE MIND - we’re going to be using Open for this. My fav meditation app and they’re hosting a 21 day nervous system reset (so kinda perfect). Each day, we’ll do one of their meditations or breathworks designed to help support our nervous system.

2. TENDING TO THE HEART - something that helps your heart and mind sing. I’m going to be doing journaling, because it helps with my self-exploration, but it might also look like reading for you, or

3. SUPPORTING THE BODY - this should be an act to support the physical body. For me, it’s going to be a glass of water with lemon every morning. For you? It might stretching, a nourishing breakfast, sunshine on your skin etc.

The key here is that you make it yours, but generally, following this format. Here’s what mind looks like:

1. Glass of water with lemon (body)

2. ~15 minutes of meditation/breathwork (mind)

3. 5 minutes of journaling (heart/emotions)

there’s flexibility here - but be clear with yourself on what you are going to do.

Every morning in January, I’ll be posting about this Reset to help hold myself accountable and support all of you in your journey too

with that…..can you imagine how amazing it will feel in 3 weeks to know we tended to to our whole system in this way DAILY?

If you’re in…

download open here (a big part of this challenge)

you’ll get 30 days free….so you can do this entire reset free, and then delete the app if you so wish

Downloading it later?

Then use the code: ROOTSTOLEAVES

Pretty self explanatory after this post but….

your action step is:

Join in on the 21 day Reset ✨

if this doesn’t sound like your jam, then simply reflect on your 2025 Intention and commit to 1 step to help you move closer to it

Remember - no journey to the destination is perfect. It is all beautiful, exactly as it is.

anndddd if you are doing the Reset then tag me!! I looveeee seeing what you guys do with this information and it can help to hold us accountable too

With that, be sure to download the Open App so you can join for free

Wishing you a beautiful, aligned and calm first week of 2025

Written after starting my morning routine today ✨