Tag: writing

2026 Goals

2026 Goals

As we are upon the beginning edges of the new year, there’s often pressure to make big declarations. Goals. Plans. Resolutions. 

But instead of asking “What are my goals for this year?” I want to ask a gentler, more grounding question: 

Where do you want to be six months from now? 

Not just in what you’ve accomplished — but in how you feel. 

More rooted? 
Less hurried? 
More attuned to God’s presence in your everyday life? 

Sometimes clarity doesn’t come from striving harder, but from slowing down long enough to listen. 

Writing to Your Future Self 

One reflective practice I’ve found meaningful is writing a letter to my future self. 

There’s a free website called futureme.org that allows you to write an email now and schedule it to be delivered to you at a date you choose — six months from now, one year from now, or further into the future. 

This practice shifts the focus from pressure to presence. It invites you to speak to the person you are becoming with compassion instead of expectation. 

When the Letter Comes from a Deeper Place 

During last year’s Awaken Silent Retreat, Danielle, the host, handed out index cards at the end of that last day and asked us to write a letter to ourselves as if our Heavenly Father were writing it to us.  

She prompted us with these questions: 

  • What does He want to share with you? 
  • What does He want you to remember from this silent retreat? 

There’s something profoundly grounding about imagining God’s voice not as demanding or disappointed, but as loving, steady, and near. 

After we wrote those letters, we sealed them into an envelope, addressed them to our home addresses, and handed them into Danielle. About 6 weeks later, the letter I wrote was delivered to my mailbox.  

When I opened it, I knew what it was but could not remember what I had written. Here’s an excerpt: 

(You may want to read this slowly.) 

Dear Carlynn, 

Remember me in the awakening in the silence weekend. In the hurry and in the noise, remember me. Hold me close and tight. That’s the way I hold you. I am never far. I walk beside you. Quiet your mind. Quiet the falsehoods the enemy throws at you. Come to me for truth. Look up. Keep seeking my face when lies creep in. I am your source of truth.  

Love, 

Your Heavenly Father 

Prompts for Your Own Letter 

If you decide to email to your future self at futureme.org — or write a letter as if God were speaking to you — here are a few prompts to guide you: 

  • What do you want your future self to remember that you know will get lost in the chaos of the year? 
  • What’s important to you right now? Why? 
  • What are your goals? Where do you see yourself 6 months from now? How does it feel? 
  • If you were having a conversation with God, how does He see you? What does He want you to remember? 
  • What does He want you to release? 
  • What does He want you to trust? 
  • How does He invite you to walk into the next season? 

You don’t need perfect words. You just need honesty and openness. 

A Gentle Invitation 

This kind of reflection — slowing down, listening, and responding — is at the heart of the work I care most about. It’s the kind of space I hope to continue creating here through writing, and eventually through coaching: a place to reflect, discern, and move forward with intention rather than urgency. 

You don’t have to rush your growth. You don’t have to have everything figured out. 

Six months from now — or one year from now — you may be surprised by what has quietly taken root simply because you chose to pause, listen, and take one faithful step at a time. 

The Quiet Faithfulness of Showing Up

The Quiet Faithfulness of Showing Up

Another goal I set this year: Write and publish one blog post per week.

And with one week left in the year, I can say—I did it.

The days I published weren’t always the same. Some weeks were carefully planned, others were written in pockets of time I had to fight for. But each week, a post went live. Today’s post makes 51 blog posts for the year.

That number still surprises me.

I’m proud of this commitment—not because it was perfect, but because it was faithful.

Writing Without a Map

If I’m honest, there were plenty of weeks when I didn’t know what I was going to write about. That uncertainty brought anxiety at times. I like plans. I like clarity. I like knowing what’s ahead.

But week after week, a topic surfaced. A thought. A reflection. A nudge.

Each post evolved into what it needed to be. Looking back, I don’t think that was accidental. I believe those ideas were promptings—quiet ones—from the Holy Spirit. The words came just in time, not all at once.

And that’s a reminder for me to create space for the Holy Spirit. To listen and discern His voice. And remember that even with all my plans, His plans are greater and much better than mine.

Writing Through a Busy Year

Keeping this commitment wasn’t easy.

Starting a new job in July added stress and pulled my attention in new directions. Life didn’t slow down to accommodate my writing schedule. If anything, it sped up.

But keeping this promise to myself mattered. Writing has always been a place where I process, reflect, and make sense of the world. Choosing to keep showing up—especially when it would’ve been easier not to—was an act of intention.

And it wasn’t just writing for Perspective Confessions.

If you’d told me on January 1, 2025, that I would write over 38,000 words this year, I probably would’ve laughed. It sounds overwhelming. Impossible, even.

But it didn’t happen all at once.
It happened one week at a time.

The Beauty of Day-In, Day-Out Work

This year has reminded me of something simple and profound: progress is made quietly.

There’s nothing glamorous about sitting down week after week to write. There’s no applause. No instant payoff. Most of the work happens unseen.

No matter the goal, progress is built in quiet faithfulness—the daily or weekly decision to keep going.

This is the same theme I’ve been writing about in my other goal reflections this year.

  • With fitness, progress didn’t come from dramatic results overnight, but from consistent movement and honoring commitments.
  • With Bible reading, success didn’t mean perfection—it meant showing up more than I ever had before, learning from what didn’t work, and adjusting.

And now, with writing, the lesson holds true again.

If It Feels Too Big

Maybe you’re staring at a goal that feels overwhelming right now. Too big. Too far away. Too much.

Here’s what this year has taught me:
You don’t have to finish it today. You just have to start—and then keep showing up.

Fifty-two weeks from now, you’ll be much further along than if you never began.

As the saying goes, if you aim for the moon and miss, you’ll still land among the stars.

That’s what this year has been for me—a quiet landing among the stars, built through ordinary, faithful work.

And that kind of progress?
It’s more powerful than it looks.

An Overlooked Tool for Leaders

An Overlooked Tool for Leaders

Are you a leader of people?

Are you an influential leader? Influential doesn’t always mean you have direct reports. It means you collaborate with and guide others toward outcomes, often without formal authority. This ability to influence is essential for moving initiatives forward and being successful in your role.

Hint: we are all influential leaders!

This applies in the workplace, in your community, and at home. For example, parents—especially of teenagers—quickly learn that influence is far more powerful than control. The same principle applies to managers, project leads, and peers working across departments.

Too often we think leadership means being “the one in charge” with a team reporting to you. In reality, the most effective leaders know that influence, not control, is what drives collaboration, innovation, and long-term results.

One area all leaders have in common is working with people. Whether it’s direct reports or those you’re influencing to move initiatives and projects forward, managing and influencing people is a complex skill set—one you learn and refine over time.

Leaders are not mind readers. People are many shades of gray, shaped by their unique experiences, perspectives, and stories.

Every individual sees the world through their own lens, influenced by both their career and personal life. Effective leaders embrace this complexity and work to understand, adapt, and connect.

Leadership can also reach frustration and overwhelm quickly.

With constant technological change, leaders are stretched thin—running from meeting to meeting while processing an overwhelming amount of information.

The human mind was not designed to handle this relentless pace with clarity.

In such a fast-paced world, we’ve lost the art of slowing down. Reflection has become a forgotten tool.

Slowing down can feel archaic when demands push us to go faster and faster.

But the question remains: What are we missing by moving so fast? How would you even know what’s slipping past you when life is lived at lightning speed?

One underutilized tool for leaders is keeping a journal. Not typing notes into a phone or laptop—but physically writing in a journal with a physical pen and paper.

The physical act of writing slows down the mind automatically.

It creates space for reflection, and helps leaders process their experiences, challenges, and decisions in a deeper way.

It allows leaders to know and understand their unique perspectives. Which in turn will enhance their decision making every day.

A leader’s unique perspective is the source of creativity and competitive advantage.

In today’s AI world, tapping into creativity and having a competitive advantage is paramount.

Without slowing down and using journaling as a tool, we lose the art of listening to ourselves and our innate wisdom.

How do you create a discipline of journaling?

  1. Don’t over complicate it!
  2. Buy a journal.
  3. Set aside 15 minutes of uninterrupted time either at the beginning or end of your day to journal.
  4. Block that time on your calendar!
  5. Close your computer.
  6. Silence your notifications on your phone.
  7. Set a timer for 15 minutes.
  8. Write.

“Ok, great”, you might say. “But, what in the world do I write about? Especially when this feels like a weird, new thing to do?”

Great question!

Journal Prompts for Leaders.

Pick one to get started. What you journal about could either be personal or professional.

  1. What has been at the forefront of my mind today?
  2. What is keeping me up at night?
  3. What has been a common theme this week/last week?
  4. What are my priorities? Do those priorities stack up against the work I’m doing and meetings I’m attending?
  5. What needs to change?
  6. What am I missing?
  7. What is a circular thought pattern I’m having that I can’t find a solution?

Bonus Tips:

  1. Let yourself write whatever comes to mind.
  2. Do not have an agenda.
  3. No judgements in what you write about or don’t write about.
  4. Let the writing flow.
  5. Don’t be surprised if you start writing about one topic and you finish on another topic.
  6. Trust the process.
  7. Trust that whatever you write down is exactly what needed to be written and reflected upon.
  8. You just might surprise yourself.

Asking ourselves questions and slowing down to reflect brings us back to what is meaningful, what we believe in, and overall gives us purpose.

And if leaders reconnect to their purpose, that purpose will flow through them to those they influence. <– this is motivating and inspiring! It will have a ripple effect on your team and those you work alongside.

And all of this is a great ROI!

Challenge: Commit to journaling 15 minutes everyday for a month. Then, reflect on how it helped and enhanced your leadership.

In a world where we feel like we can’t slow down, it’s often exactly what leaders need.

For more reasons to journal, check this blog post: 12 Reasons to Keep a Journal

Remembering Beyond Loss

My Mom

June 27, 2007 marks the anniversary of my Mom’s death, 9 years ago. How can it be that long ago?

I’ve been thinking about this blog post for a while. I’ll reveal a bit of a secret…writing scares me! Seems silly, right?! When I write, I think I’m the most honest with myself. I find my truth. I think it’s easy to lie to myself inside my head, after all it’s  just thoughts, right? Just a fleeting thought and then I can pretend the thoughts never occurred. BUT, if I write it down, then there is documentation of my thoughts and of my feelings. There is proof! Writing is a form of releasing those pent up thoughts and feelings. In the midst of writing, though, it’s scary. Being honest with myself isn’t easy and I can’t hide from me on paper.

So why do I write if it’s so hard?

Because through the hard stuff is a better me. It’s too easy to walk through life without being honest with myself, without really understanding what I think or how I really feel about an issue or circumstance. It’s too easy to hide and easy never got the good stuff. For me, being honest with myself and knowing my truth means I can live a more centered life. I can be more sure of myself when making decisions, more sure that I know what I want and know, for sure, what really makes me happy. That’s the reward, but it doesn’t mean it comes easy.

Did that make any sense?! I hope I haven’t lost you because there really is a method to my rambling.

The anniversary of my Mom’s death was only a few days ago. 9 years…I can’t believe it’s been that long. My sister got married in March and I went home for her wedding. I also visited my Mom’s grave for the first time since she was buried. Since I live 12 hours away, it’s hard to make it to her grave site between all the other family visits. It’s also rare that I’m alone for any period of time while I’m at home. I knew when I visited my Mom’s gravesite, I would want to go alone and I didn’t want to share where I would be going. This was a very personal time and I didn’t want company or questions from family. I just needed to go.

It was raining and I was beginning to run out of daylight. It had been so long I was afraid I couldn’t remember the location of the cemetary. I kept thinking, “I’m coming, Mama, I’m coming!” I was somewhat frantic in my search, so afraid that I wouldn’t locate the cemetery and I would have to wait several more months before I could attempt to visit again. After driving down a few wrong streets, I saw the cemetery and I was relieved only to have the relief washed away with a new worry of finding her grave. I remembered it was by the main road, so I turned into the first driveway I came to and made the first circle. I found my grandfather’s grave and I got out of the truck to spend a few moments. He passed away when I was a junior in high school. I knew I was close to my mom’s grave! I looked across the main road and thought it must be there. I grabbed the umbrella out of the truck and was struck with sadness that I had not brought anything to put on her grave. I brought nothing to leave with her!! I searched through my bag for something but came up empty handed. I wish I had brought something…anything to leave with my Mother!

I walked across the street and I finally found her. It didn’t matter that it was raining because I had tears streaming down my face anyway. I was caught off guard with how sad it made me feel because she was buried alone. Most of the other headstones around her were of a husband and a wife. Her headstone looked so small compared to the others. As I continued looking at the graves that surrounded her, I saw that she was buried by her grandfather and grandmother and also by her aunt and uncle. This gave me some comfort to know she was surrounded by loved ones.

When I imagined going to visit my Mother’s grave, I always thought I would sit and talk with her; tell her all the many things that had gone on in my life, all the changes that had happened, about Jeff and the kids, etc. If it hadn’t been raining, maybe I still would have done just that. Instead, all it seemed I could do was cry (ugly cry!). I was overwhelmed by how much I missed her. I was overwhelmed at how hard life has been without her love, her advice, her support. It was all too evident of how much of a load I had been carrying on my shoulders. The tears brought some release of the overburdened dam of emotion that my mom is no longer here. I squatted down and traced the outline of her name on the headstone with my fingers. She has two or three angel figurines that someone left for her. I picked those up and examined them. She would be pleased to know that they are there. I left my hand pressed into her headstone just to feel closer to her.

It was raining more and more with barely any daylight left. I felt exposed since her grave was right by the main road and cars were driving by.  I knew I would have to go soon. I told my mom how much I loved her and that I missed her so much! I cried more and walked across the main road and got back into the truck. I drove across the street and parked by her grave to be near her once more. I sat there looking at her grave. I was shredded inside to leave her alone in the cold rain and dark. I didn’t want to leave!

I had no idea visiting my Mom’s grave would affect me so intensely. Maybe I did subconsciously and maybe that’s why it took me so long to visit. That makes sense. It’s hard to experience intense feelings. I’m glad to know the intensity of the experience so I can be more prepared for my next visit.

Mom's present day photo!
Mom’s present day photo.

At Christmas, my grandmother (my Mom’s mom), my aunt (my Mom’s sister) and my sister all took this photo. All 4 of us represent the immediate family left on my Mom’s side. We have all grown closer since my Mom’s death and I cherish every bit of the visits, talks and texts together. Each of us represent my mom. Each of us carry her with us. Each of us keep her memory alive. This represents a present day photo of my mom. Can you see her? She is alive and well. Family is a reflection of those we have lost. For those of you that have lost loved ones, don’t ever lose sight of that! Those we have lost live on within us.