Start Where You Are: The Glow Girl's Gentle Reset

Most people sleep in on January 1st after a night of heavy partying.

Me?

I was binding my Lessons, Ink, & Grace weekly planners.

While the world nursed hangovers and promised change, I was already building mine—sheet by sheet, punch by punch, binding ring by ring.

Not out of pressure. Not out of urgency.

But because I knew—I don’t need to wait for the “perfect moment” to begin again.

What if starting late means we’re starting intentionally?

I've always had this nagging feeling that I'm late. I spent my teens and 20s going in and out of hospitals. I had blood work done weekly. I had different tests done monthly and bi-monthly. Almost all my money went to medical bills. 

My 30s were spent on taking care and homeschooling my son. It was an exhausting decade in my life, but I have no regrets, especially seeing how my son turned out now. 

Now in my 40s, I feel like I'm late to everything - my career, my businesses, trends, etc. I feel like I have to rush to catch up to the world. 

But what if, I'm not late, but I'm exactly where I need to be?

I've been talking to you about my soft luxe life and how I'm taking it one day at a time. I'll admit, it's not always easy. I've been programmed to push, to run on fumes, to rush every day to beat the clock, to tick off everything on my list. Sometimes I still relapse into that kind of life. 

The Gentle Reset

That's why this January, I did a gentle reset. No, it's not the kind of reset where I'll just lounge around after doing three things on my list. 

It's a reset where I'm honoring what makes me happy. 

A few minutes before the clock struck midnight on New Year's Eve, I asked myself a few questions. And I realized that what I'm doing now - creating, writing, planning, strategizing, is what truly makes me happy. 

It's work that fuels me. 

So, the challenge now is to find that balance between working that fills my heart and not burning out. 

No 5AM miracle mornings here

You all know I'm not a lark. I'm a nightowl. 5 am miracle mornings? Don't exist in my book. At 5 am, I've only been asleep for about 3 hours. 

It's funny. I told my friend that when she wakes up at 4 am, I've only been asleep for an hour or two. 😆 

So, yes. I'm not a member of the 5 am club. 

And I don't care. 

Miracles happen in my day when I say they happen. 

Having the time to stretch and self-massage before my day starts? Miracle.

Finding out that the leftover chicken congee can still serve 2 for breakfast? Miracle. 

Finishing 5 tasks on my list? Miracle. 

And just the other day, rearranging furniture, moving a full bookshelf on my own - miracle.

Miracle days are:

• One cleared shelf.
• One hot (or in my case, cold) drink with your planner.
• One drawer decluttered.
• One finished product.
• One finished book.
• One note to self that says, I’m proud of you for showing up.

Current rhythm

Sleep

From the start of January, I've been sleeping longer. I've been waking up at 11:30 am. I used to wake up between 9 and 10:30 am. It's not that I'm sleeping later. It's I'm sleeping longer. Because I choose to. You know why?

When I sleep for 9 hours, I'm a machine. A beast. 

Things get finished faster. My eyes and mind are clearer. I can make decisions on the fly. I'm more creative. 

Making beautiful, slow things

I've been creating daily and enjoying every moment immensely. 

Just yesterday, I created these list pads:

It took 4.5 hours, 3 machines, and 3 tools to finish these 4. But I enjoyed every minute of it. 

I'm always rushing and creating with my hands forces me to slow down to avoid mistakes. 

Prioritize

Running the home used to be my priority. Well, not anymore. 

I scoff at the pile of laundry when I used to rush to wash it when I see that the basket is full. Now, I do it when I'm satisfied with my work. 

I prioritize my personal goals over cooking rice first thing in the morning. Cooking rice can happen 30 minutes before meal time. 

I create products after brunch and stop to cook when I'm hungry. I used to stop everything to cook for the family. Now, they know there are snacks and meals that can be reheated in the fridge. They can feed themselves, order food if they have to. 

I prioritize rest. On Lady Flo days, I go on bed rests. I let the rest of the family handle things such as grocery shopping and reheating or ordering meals. 

And yeah, I stopped doing the damn dishes five times a day to care for my hands and protect my nails

If you're like me and need a gentle reset, this is your sign. 

You don't have to set a perfect start date or a perfect "when" situation (when I'm rich, when the kids are all grown up, when I get a divorce). Start where you are right now. 

You have every right to exhale. Release that breath you've been holding on for so long. 

I invite you to start your reset today. Just decide one small thing that you want to stop or start doing, right where you are at this moment - whether you're at your desk, in bed, at a cafe with your girl friends. Decide now. 

Start your reset and choose softness without apology. 

Happy New You, Glow Girl!

---

'Til my next post,

Stay soft. Stay strong. Stay Glowing.

LET'S GLOW.

With elegance and quiet fire, 

Lady E

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