154. Reset Without Burning Out: How to Build a Life You Actually Want This Year

Why "New Year, New Me" is total BS—and what to do instead.

Welcome to 2026, friend! In this first episode of the year, Laurie Reynoldson takes a refreshingly honest approach to what the New Year really means for high-achieving midlife women. Forget the pressure to overhaul your life overnight. Instead, Laurie shares why easing into the year with intention—not hustle—is the secret to making real, lasting change.

From dissecting the toxic “New Year, New Me” narrative to sharing her own personal story as a state-level sprinter (who, spoiler alert, always started slow and still won her races), Laurie makes the case for embracing a more sustainable—and dare we say, enjoyable—approach to the New Year.

She also walks you through why the real first step isn’t a new gym membership or a 4:30am alarm. It’s doing your damn year-end review. (Don’t worry—there’s a clickable link in the show notes to help you get that done.)

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why fast starts fizzle—and what to do instead
• How to reset your expectations without losing momentum
• The power of planning one quarter at a time
• What “getting back to zero” actually looks like
• How to use lessons from 2025 to build a more intentional 2026
• Why midlife women need a different kind of January energy

Whether you’re feeling fired up or totally wiped out, this episode gives you the permission slip (and game plan) to do things differently this year—and make midlife your best life, one realistic step at a time.

Links & Resources:

• 📥 Download the FREE 2025 Year-End Review Workbook
• 🗓️ Check out the Best Life Planner
• 🌵 Learn more about the April 2026 Best Life Retreat at Civana
• 💬 Want to work together in 2026? Book a call with Laurie!

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