today i'm talking about plans + progress. it'll be a little bit of me mixed with a little bit of spring. feel free to skip down to 'meadow moments' if you're not feeling like a deep dive today. ♥

04.22.2025 //

 

the new year has always been a source of inspiration to me. the idea of making things new offers relief and generally pushes me to reevaluate how i am living my life. 

 

now that we're fully into 2025, i have recently been reflecting on my discovery that the 'fresh sense' that some say causes flowers to stem from “april showers” might actually just be innate. i'm starting to believe the changing of seasons was always meant to be a divine sign to replenish & renew.

 

if you're new here, i'm devoutly religious. i try to allow my faith to permeate my every day, so a lot of my goal-setting + planning for the future is founded in the teachings of Jesus. (that being said, a lot of what i am about to share can be applied to your relationship with nature if you are uninterested in my specific belief patterns. 🍓)

the past two years I have made goal-setting and new year's resolutions based on the Creation.

 

i've always felt drawn to the creation story and drawn to creativity in general. something about SMART goals never truly resonated with me and sometimes they inhibited my progress. as a perfectionist, i used to end up abandoning my goals around March every year. the guilt that stemmed from not following through would often end in spiraling down–ultimately leaving me floundering and exhausted by December.

 

stepping for a moment back to the end of 2023, i was tossing around various ideas for my 2024 word of the year. i ended up resonating the most with create. when i attended the temple at that time (as i try to do at the end of every year), i felt an overwhelming urge to apply what i was learning about the Creation literally. 

enter: a new way of planning for the future, reflecting on my alignment with God, and truly celebrating my desire to 'create'.

pairing my becoming ideas (i.e. goals) in 2024 with buckets founded in the Creation, i found a sense of incredible relief and trust in my relationship with God and His plan for me.

 

i won't go into detail in this email, but the gist of my planning stems from organizing the “matter” of my life, separating the light from the dark, looking at where i am planting seeds, etc. (hit reply to this email with your favorite emoji and maybe i'll consider doing an email specifically for those who respond.)

 

this year (2025) i have been following a similar structure. overall i like to consider goal-setting just plain stewardship. it helps me remove my emotional ties to outcomes and helps me focus more on what i am doing to become who i am becoming. 

 

as a steward, i take responsibility for and of my:

 

the holidays are always a little crazy, and this year i decided to believe that maybe winter isn't meant to be punishment. trying to manage resolutions for a whole new year all while balancing time with family, friends, and looming  school/work schedules can be tricky to navigate while wanting confidence & peace in your goals. not to mention, winter can feel cold and bleak, which might not be the prime time for highlighting all your hopes and dreams.

 

instead of wallowing in winter misery, i decided to see the seasons for what they are: seasoning. really, the changes in seasons are just a little flavor for the year that, if compiled neatly into a recipe, can actually further my progress. this year, i chose to see winter as a time for reflection. just a few extra months to think about the kind of life i am creating, in time for the blooms of spring. 🍓

 

so now that it's midway through April, i have a renewed desire to take a look at my intentions for this year. i'm thinking that setting intentions should be more of a spring-to-spring fling instead of a new year's fear.

 

🍓 tl;dr - i'm rebranding the new year & setting goals in April from here on out. (plus, it's much prettier that way.)

if this resonates with you at all, i'd love to hear from you. hit reply & let me know if you've ever considered ditching your new year's resolutions in favor of something else, OR if you're interested in hearing more about how i tie my intentions to the Creation.

or, if you're interested in hearing more, i'm feeling this way about everything business, too. i wrote a poem recently and posted it over on my brand new substack, so head over there or visit my insta to sneak a peek.

meadow moments

reading: the architecture of happiness

 

experiencing: throwing my bestie girl molly a mini birthday market (she's so cute – bottom right hand corner <3)

listening to: blue

 

creating: cutie summer shorts & golden springtime jackets

designing: over at detalle design

 

studying: "this is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” – john 15:12–13

 

questioning: how can i seek joy?

 

visiting: iowa river landing

i’ve always been a dreamer, and this is my mind meadow - a safe place to reflect on grace. thank you for sharing it with me <3 

 

xoxo,

a