Your January Check-In: Small Steps, Big Momentum

Which baby step do you need the most as you close out January?

Here we are, already wrapping up the first month of 2026. How is it going?

Before you answer, let me say this: I'm not here to ask if you've kept your New Year's resolutions or if you've already "fallen off the wagon." (Who even owns a wagon now a days?) Instead, take a breath and simply notice where you are right now. No judgment. No comparison to where you think you "should" be. Just an honest, gentle check-in with yourself.

Because here's what I've learned: health isn't built on perfect January commitments that fizzle out by February. It's built on consistent practice.  Small, daily choices that add up over time. It's about learning, adjusting, and moving forward, one baby step at a time.

Let's Look Back (With Kindness)

Take a moment to think about January. Not to grade yourself, but to gather information. Ask yourself:

What felt good this month? Maybe you noticed more energy on days when you went to bed earlier. Maybe you felt calmer when you took five minutes to breathe before starting your day. Maybe you discovered that skipping lunch actually makes you feel worse, not better. Whatever it was, Celebrate it!! That's data about what works for your body.

What felt hard? Did you struggle with energy? Sleep? Mood swings? Brain fog? Motivation? Here's the thing: the struggles aren't failures, they're clues. They're your body's way of telling you what needs attention. Listen to those whispers before they become shouts.

What surprised you? Sometimes January throws us curveballs. Maybe you handled stress better than expected. Or maybe something you thought would be easy turned out to be harder than you imagined. Surprises teach us things about ourselves we didn't know we needed to learn.

The Power of "I'm Still Learning"

I don't set health goals in January because I've realized something important: my body is constantly changing, especially during perimenopause. What worked last year might not work this year. What works this month might need tweaking next month. And that's not failure, that's being human.

Instead of rigid goals, I focus on continuous learning and consistent practice. I ask myself: "What does my body need right now? What do I need to understand better? Where should I be more consistent?" This approach takes the pressure off perfection and puts the focus on progress. And progress, my friend, is made up of tiny, daily choices that compound over time!

Finding Your Focus for the Next 11 Months

As we close out January, let's think about what you might want to learn more about in the months ahead. Not to overwhelm you with a massive to-do list, but to give you a gentle direction—a north star to guide daily baby steps.

Here are some focus areas to consider:

Energy & Sleep

You might benefit from learning more about sleep hygiene, blood sugar balance, stress management, or how perimenopause affects your energy levels.

Mood & Mental Health

Exploring topics like hormone-mood connection, self-compassion practices, inflammation's impact on mental health, or setting boundaries with social media might help.

Body Changes & Metabolism

Learning about perimenopause's effect on metabolism, body composition versus weight, muscle preservation, and anti-inflammatory eating could be game-changing.

Pain & Inflammation

Diving into inflammation, gut health, inflammatory markers, movement for joint health, and the food-inflammation connection might be your next step.

Brain Fog & Focus

Understanding the perimenopause-brain connection, cognitive health strategies, stress reduction, and brain-supporting nutrients could make a real difference.

The Baby Steps Approach

Once you've identified one or two areas that feel most pressing right now (one or two, not ten), it's time to think about baby steps. Not dramatic overhauls. Not perfect execution. Just small, doable actions you practice consistently.

Here's what baby steps might look like:

For better sleep: Start by setting a bedtime alarm 30 minutes before you want to be in bed. Just that. Don't worry about the perfect nighttime routine yet. Master the alarm first.

For managing mood: Practice one minute of deep breathing each morning before you check your phone. Literally 60 seconds. That's it.

For understanding inflammation: Read one article this week about inflammatory foods. Just one. Learn something new.

For energy: Eat a protein-rich breakfast three days this week. See how you feel. Gather data.

For brain health: Put your keys in the same spot every single day for a week. It sounds silly, but you're building consistency muscle memory.

The beauty of baby steps is that they're too small to fail. Stacking them day after day, creates momentum. Before you know it, that baby step becomes a habit. That habit becomes part of who you are. And that's how real, lasting change happens.

Your Permission Slip

As we move into February and beyond, I give you permission to:

Let go of perfection. Progress over perfection, every single time.

Change your mind. What you focus on in February doesn't have to be what you focus on in June. You're allowed to adapt.

Start small. Ridiculously small. Embarrassingly small. So small it feels too easy. That's exactly right.

Take breaks. Rest is productive. Recovery matters. You don't have to be "on" all the time.

Ask for help. From your doctor, a therapist, a nutritionist, a friend, a support group. You don't have to figure this out alone.

Celebrate tiny wins. You drank water today? That counts. You took your supplements? That counts. You asked for what you need? That absolutely counts.

Looking Ahead

You have 11 months stretching out ahead of you. Eleven months to learn, grow, experiment, and discover what helps your body thrive during this wild perimenopause ride. Maybe in a few months, you'll look back at January and barely recognize the person who started this year. Not because you did anything dramatic, but because you showed up for yourself, day after day, in small but meaningful ways.

Here's my challenge for you as we close out this first month: pick just one area you want to learn more about. Choose one tiny action you practice this week. Then just do it. Not perfectly. Just consistently.

You've got this! 335 days of baby steps to prove it to yourself.

Let's make them count!! 💪

What area do you want to focus on in the months ahead? Drop an email to shillinghealthcoaching@gmail.com for health coaching opportunities!