If you want to join me in journaling and reflecting, here are the prompts I'll be using to guide my thinking. Use one or use them all. But lean into this last week that sits between 2022 and 2023. There will be plenty of time in January to take action. I promise.

Thinking about the moon and the sky reminds me, in a good way, how small I am in the grand scheme of things When it's all too easy to get caught up in the little things like work, schedules, family dynamics, my clothes, or what we're eating for dinner, I'm reminded that there's a much bigger picture outside of myself.

When you plan an activity or outing, do you think ahead to the memory it will create? It's kind of like taking a picture to capture a moment so you can have physical evidence to go along with the memory. I love looking back at photos from years past and being reminded of all of the things that we did, the places we visited, and the milestones we crossed. And...I want to remind you that those memories also happen in the little things as well.

“You’re the one who chose to have kids.”

That comment was made over the holiday weekend during a heated discussion about keeping our gathering small because of all the viruses going around our extended family.

And this person, like so many others without kids, sees kids getting sick as the parent’s problem to figure out.

What if I told you that the plan you're making wasn't going to work out? That some of it might go according to plan, but much of it will get tossed out the window when something else more urgent shows up. What would you do?

Walking through my neighborhood, I started judging the overgrown gardens and flowerbeds full of weeds. I wondered how the homeowner could simply ignore their space and let it get to this point. But then August happened and I quickly realized how - because I became that homeowner. With little time and no energy, I focused on what was important and gardening just didn’t make the cut.

Switching gears throughout your day takes mental strength and focus as you go from waking up to morning routine, from home to work, from meeting to meeting, and most importantly in my opinion, from working to parenting.

Busy. Some times in life just are, especially for us working moms. The good news: there is something you can do about it. Check out these three questions/prompts you can use to learn to do less the next time you get overwhelmed (because there will be a next time).

Are you taking "photos" of your life so that someday in the future you can celebrate how much has changed? How much you've changed and grown? And are you taking the time to dream about what it is you want to "plant" in your life? Take the photos. Set your intentions. Make progress. Celebrate.

Do you ever think about what kind of relationship you're creating with your kids? Or how they will see you when they're grown? Thinking about the future can be emotional. It is for me. Partly because it’s sad to think of them as no longer my little babies. But also because I know I’m falling short of the big picture and I want to change that.

Your weeks aren't busy. You're just letting lots of tasks and priorities compete for your attention rather than focusing on what's important.

Do you ever feel like you have to choose between giving your energy to work - throwing yourself into creating results, serving clients, or hitting billable hour quotas - but having nothing left for your family? Or giving your energy to your kids - thinking constantly about them and their needs, being really present and playing, or taking care of all the things for them - but having little left for the work your job requires? Break the cycle.