The Year Between: Holding Space for Who You Were and Who You’re Still Becoming
Not every year needs a reset. Some just need a deeper breath.
Before We Begin
Written from lived experience, shaped with reflection, and refined with a touch of AI support for clarity and tone.
The Pause Before the Push
Every January, the world rushes to start over.
But some of us do not need another race. We need a moment to catch our breath.
You made it through a year that asked a lot of you. Maybe it changed you in quiet ways. Maybe it just exhausted you. Either way, this moment right now is not a countdown. It is a pause.
Before you reach for new goals, notice what survived the year with you. That is not small. That is sacred.
The Myth of Starting Over
We love the idea of a clean slate. But real growth does not wipe out the past, it uses it.
Everything you learned, struggled through, and rebuilt last year is soil. You are already standing on what you grew.
The world says “start again.”
The middle says “keep becoming.”
What to Bring Forward
You do not have to reinvent yourself this year. You just have to carry the things that made you stronger.
The routines that quietly worked
The boundaries that protected your peace
The moments you almost quit but didn’t
That is your foundation. Everything else is noise.
A Year of Tending, Not Transforming
Instead of chasing a new version of yourself, try tending the one that is still in bloom.
Maybe your resolution is simple:
To notice joy when it is quiet
To practice gratitude that feels honest, not forced
To measure progress in peace, not perfection
Resolutions do not last because they are built for performance.
Tending lasts because it is built for real life.
Reflection Prompt
What part of you grew roots this past year, even if no one noticed?
What deserves tending in the year ahead?
Affirmation
I do not need to start over.
I just need to keep showing up for who I am still becoming.
The middle is not the wait. It is the work.
Final Note
These reflections come from real life, not authority.
Take what fits, leave what does not.
Self-care includes giving yourself credit for the chapters you have already lived.
Tending is a beautiful way to put this, Dariam. It's interesting, this maintenance place. The only place to go is forward, reaping the rewards of where we have come... gathering the seeds and begin planting all over again. wonderfully, said! Happy New Year!
When I tell you I have found so much joy in "becoming". I found joy during active weight loss 📉 , even when the scale ⚖️ had a mind of its own. I am also finding joy in maintenance. You really don't realize how cluttered your mindset was until you remove all the mental clutter. That level of peace is priceless ✨️🙏🏾💜