Looking Toward 2026
Less is more. That’s the thing. That’s my main take-away from 2025.
Every year, Emily P. Freeman (podcaster and author) puts out “10 Questions for Reflection & Discernment,” and I love to answer these questions each year as a reflection of my previous year and the beginning of a new year.
What worked?
Starting my new job has been life-changing in many ways. Going from full-time to part-time has been the sweet spot. I enjoy the work, it has been helpful for me to have something outside of our home to focus on, and the financial impact has been great. We are in a place financially that I never anticipated, to be honest. The move to Colorado has changed our lives in so many ways. This has been a huge one.
Our homestead has been amazing. We set it up in a way that it is not hard to manage. It doesn’t feel overwhelming. I also don’t feel the need to overhaul my entire life to be a “homesteader.” I’m just me—with a backyard homestead. I love diet soda and some processed food, and certain medications have changed my life. I also love making foods from scratch, our chickens, and my summer garden.
Moving into this house has been so amazing as well. It’s perfect for our family. It was SO sweet to have a guest room for my parents when they visited. Each kid has their own bedroom. I have a basement gym. The kitchen/dining/living room being all open to each other has been so great. The wood-burning fireplace is my favorite. We went back and forth about whether or not the move was worth it, and I would say it was!
Deciding to homeschool Levi again has been the best decision. He has done SO GREAT this time around and has been much more focused and intentional and independent.
We are also getting into a better place with money management. This is a work-in-progress, but I feel a lot more settled in this area than ever before.
As I’m finishing this year, I’m realizing that I needed something more simple for movement and nutrition. I am so grateful to have found the program that I did. It has simplified the whole process, and I feel like I can finally be “successful” if I just stick with it.
Taking a break from constantly trying to grow, learn, and fix myself was helpful, and that’s where the actual growth came in. Finding the Lectio 365 app has been life-changing. Letting go a little and resting in Jesus and a relationship with Him has produced the most growth.
What didn’t work?
I felt like I was floundering when it comes to healthy habits because I couldn’t focus on what I wanted. I would go back and forth between intuitive eating and overhauling everything which means I did nothing. I struggled to get into a routine and to have any focus. I keep trying to go back to Street Parking, but I’m starting to think it’s not for me anymore. I can always change my mind (which has been something that has freed me), but that’s where I am today.
All-or-nothing mindset means zero consistency.
Trying to put the boys back in school was a disaster. I am not going to try again. It has never gone well, but I felt like this time was the worst attempt yet. I won’t go into the details, but let’s just say that we have finally figured this out for good.
Trying to read ALL the books every single morning, constantly forcing learning and growing, etc was exhausting. I don’t need to read 5 “spiritual” books or study the Old Testament deeply to encounter God and growth. In fact, sometimes that inhibits growth. Spending two hours “with Jesus” isn’t necessary and was honestly making it hard for me to move forward into my day. Just resting in Him and laying everything at His feet has been the thing.
Striving, fixing, distraction, trying to change others, and perfectionism are all things I want to let go of. One step at a time.
What do I need more of next time?
Trust, surrender, and rest. Simplicity. Intentionality. Unconditional love. Grace. Imperfect action. Imperfect consistency.
What was the loneliest part?
Everything going on with the government and “American Church” has been SO difficult for me. I often feel so alone with how I feel about it. The people that I’m often surrounded by think what’s happening is good. It’s confusing as I read Jesus’s words. It’s the opposite of what Jesus taught and how He lived. It has made Robert and I not want to attend church. We are baffled by the support of the evil that is happening. It feels dark.
Dealing with some things with one of my kids has been VERY difficult. I never knew parenting teens would be so tough. I often see people post about their teens, and it seems to be a very different experience than what we have been going through. It has been hard, also, that I really couldn’t share a lot of it “out loud.”
When did you feel the most like yourself?
Working the job that God has given me (part time), ignoring the “noise” and doing what’s best for me, setting important boundaries, deciding what’s “for me” even if it’s not for others, managing my little homestead, keeping a clean and organized home, creating spaces where I feel like I can be creative, and being more intentional with our finances.
I’ve decided that I can ignore what others say about things and that NO ONE CARES what I do or don’t do: “natural living,” drinking diet soda, eating low calorie or not, whether or not we go to church (and where we go), whether or not I workout, whether or not I keep a clean and organized home, where we spend our money, how I decorate, how organized I am, whether or not I eat enough protein or fruits and veggies, and on and on. No. One. Cares.
In what areas did my confidence grow?
Like I said above, just learning what is and isn’t FOR me. Leaning into that. Moving forward with that. And just living right in the moment.
I’ve begun living with more gratitude. I am no longer living in constant anxiety and depression. Despite having some really difficult situations this fall, I didn’t fall flat on my face. I have just kept taking one step at a time and have continued to live in gratitude and trust in God. I don’t have to control anyone. I can’t control anyone. All I can do is make the best decisions that I can and surrender.
Who (or what) have I learned the most from?
So funnily enough, I have learned from quite a few people on TikTok. I got on the “right” side of TikTok and have had so many inspiring people in my feed. From focusing on building habits to taking the steps to make changes. From learning from people who truly love Jesus and realizing that running away from Him doesn’t bring peace. Seeing people talk about their love for Jesus and people and basically ignoring the hard things going on with the “American church” knowing that the best action to combat the darkness is being light. Seeing everyone’s plans for a “Low Spend Year” or even “No Spend Year” so that they can live more. Seeing how people budget and lower their budgets. Seeing how people live out their “boring” habits to change their lives.
I’ve also really loved some books—The Year of Less, Practicing the Way, Rhythms of Renewal, and The Mountain is You. I’ve learned a lot through the Podcasts “Chasing Excellence” and “Ahmad Talks.”
What were my favorite yeses?
Deciding to work at camp, then going part time. Moving to this house. Building a manageable homestead. Working on very important relationships in my life that started off not-so-great then ended up in a better place than ever. Setting boundaries with people so that I don’t allow their opinions to affect me so much. Deciding to stop overhauling constantly and just focus on the “big rocks” (important things). Deciding to join the “Healthy Habits Club” (more on that in another post). Homeschooling Levi again. Deciding to love people where they are and being a light in the darkness instead of constantly being pulled down by that darkness. Deciding to focus on living this beautiful life that God has given me instead of trying to overhaul everything. Most of the changes that I am planning moving forward are things that I’ve been doing but more simple and consistent.
What were my surest nos?
Working FULL TIME. I love my job, but working so much was hard on me and my family. Deciding to stop going to the church we were going to. The decision to simplify and let go of things that weren’t serving me. Deciding that I don’t need to go “all in” on anything.
What’s one thing I know for sure?
Less is more. That’s the thing. That’s my main take-away from 2025.
“Boring” things bring the most peace. “New and shiny” just pulls me away from what is FOR me. All-or-nothing brings inconsistency and chaos. Flexibility and knowing who I am has brought more peace than anything.
Before I move forward, name…
- A progress I’m celebrating- learning to “settle in” to who I am
- A pivotal decision I have made- joining The Healthy Habits Club
- A question I’m still carrying- church (whether or not to go and if we do, where to go)
- What I want most- simplicity, intentionality, and peace
I’ve been talking a lot about plans and goals for 2026, and I’m realizing that they are really just continuing what I’ve been doing with a little more intention. It’s shedding the things that didn’t work for me in the past and moving forward with only the things that did work. It’s realizing that there is no perfect situation, and leaning into the imperfect action and consistency that I’ve been desiring. It’s remembering and realizing that none of these things are an emergency. I can just rest in today. I can trust God with my kids. I can trust God with the process. I can trust Him to lead us to a church that we can get behind. I can trust Him to work out all of the darkness that is in the government and “American Church.” It’s letting go of expectations that I’ve been carrying for so many years that have just brought guilt and shame. It’s being okay with the person that God made me to be.
The desire to spend less in 2026 is just a way for me to live in gratitude, stop wasting so much, adventure more, and live this beautiful life that God has given me.
The desire to be more consistent with simple healthy habits is the desire to actually do what I say I will do and live in a way that makes me feel my best. To be able to be in the moment more and love better.
All of this is to live out the intentions that I have: simplicity, living in the moment, living in gratitude, getting out of my head, giving more, being more at peace, and loving well.
I know I say this every year, but I have actually tasted it this year! I have been seeking these things for years, and I finally feel like I’m living it out. My mental health has been better since April/May… better than ever before, honestly. I believe this is all possible because I’m living it!
simplycourtney.org 