If you’ve felt a little off track already this January, I want you to hear this clearly:
You are not behind. You are resetting.
January doesn’t require perfection, only intention. So many of us step into a new year carrying invisible pressure — to be disciplined, consistent, “back on track,” or finally perfect in our habits. But for women navigating autoimmune conditions, fatigue, stress, and full lives, that kind of all-or-nothing thinking often does more harm than good. Ask me how I know!
Healing and sustainable wellness doesn’t begin with intensity.
It begins with alignment. In fact, Alignment is my personal word for the year. I’ve fallen out, and it’s time to get back into alignment with myself.
The Problem With “Starting Over”
Most New Year plans fail not because we lack willpower, but because they ask our bodies for too much, too fast.
We jump into:
- Extreme diets
- Aggressive exercise
- Rigid schedules
And then wonder why we feel inflamed, exhausted, or discouraged by February.
Your body isn’t resisting change.
It’s asking for safety, nourishment, and consistency first.
A Reset Is Different Than a Restart
A restart says: “I messed up. I need to do better.”
A reset says: “I’m listening again.”
A reset invites you to give yourself compassion and ask:
- What actually supports my body right now?
- What brings my nervous system back into calm?
- What habits feel nourishing instead of punishing?
This is where real change and alignment begin. It’s what I’m doing too!
In all transparency, writing my book, Faithful Autoimmune Remission, has been a tremendous effort, which I’m proud to have accomplished; however, it’s also led to some imbalances in my life. This season, I’m heading into writing and publishing my second book, so it’s all the more important for me to be intentional about getting myself back into alignment and staying there. Even if the next book takes longer than I’d like, my own health is going to take priority! Whew! I said it!
That said, the things I write and talk about are things I’m doing too. We are human, and good health isn’t always a linear journey. Setbacks occur, but we can recognize them and realign.
Four Gentle Ways to Reset This Week
Here are four simple practices you can begin today — no perfection required:
1. Anchor Your Meals With Nourishment
Instead of focusing on what to remove, begin with what to add:
protein, fiber-rich foods, and meals eaten with intention. Nourishment creates stability, and stability supports healing.
2. Move in Ways That Build, Not Deplete
Consistency matters more than intensity. Walking, gentle strength training, yoga, or mobility work all support circulation, metabolism, and resilience when done regularly.
3. Create One Moment of Stillness Each Day
Stress hormones block healing. A few minutes of prayer, breathwork, or quiet reflection can shift your physiology into a state where your body can actually restore.
4. Sleep Routine and Consistency
Prioritizing and protecting sleep leads to healing and greater energy.
You Don’t Need a Perfect January
You don’t need to “catch up.”
You don’t need to fix everything at once.
And you certainly don’t need to prove your discipline.
What you need is alignment — between your habits and your body, your goals and your energy, your intentions and your season of life.
This year doesn’t require a restart.
It invites a reset.
And the most powerful resets always begin with compassion.
If you’re walking this journey with an autoimmune condition, know this:
Your body is not the enemy. It is your partner in healing.
One nourishing choice at a time.
One grounded step at a time.
That is how real, lasting change happens.
In love and health,
Terri
