What are you gaining, what are you losing?

One of the most thought provoking questions my yoga teacher trainer asked us in 2018 was, "What are you gaining, what are you losing?"

That has stuck with me ever since. By making choices, thinking thoughts, what are you gaining, what are you losing? Last week, in honor of 2026, we picked our word of the year. The word that I picked is Contentment. I would say, looking back, I don't know if I've ever been "Content." I have always strived for more, more, more. When I'm not busy, I'm bored, restless. Over the last few years, I have definitely gotten better at slowing down living in the moment, and being ok with it. I have always been a big shopper, and when I'm feeling discontent or anxious, I turn to retail therapy. (Judd loves this about me 😂). The last few months, I've had a change of heart. Judd has even been asking me, "Don't you want to go to Old Navy, Home Goods, Marshalls?"

Nope, not right now. Right now I find myself really connecting to the things at home, family, quiet, sticker books, a fire and incense burning, my elliptical, lifting weights, a good tv show. These are the things that have started to fill my cup. Don't get me wrong I'm not boycotting shopping, I mean let's not go too crazy here, just taking a break and being more mindful about it.

By gaining Contentment, what am I losing? I'm losing the need to shop, to try to fill every space of my life with something, the need to go, go , go. It's a great feeling to be happy with what you already have.

This got me thinking even more about what else I'd like to lose this year and here's a list that I came up with....

1. The need to people please (My whole life I have done this and it is tiring)
2. Breaking my boundaries (More and more, boundaries are becoming important to me. Anyone else feel me on this? I'm tired of people taking advantage of niceness and using it for their personal gain)
3. A nervous system that runs on autopilot (With the change in web software, an identity theft scare, and some health scares with family this past year, there were times when I was actually hyperventilating and sobbing, my anxiety was so bad. None of this is for sympathy, it's always because I'm hoping by sharing, someone else will know they're not alone)
4. The need to sacrifice time with my family, my health, and my nervous system for outward circumstances
5. Being the person that wastes their time and energy on situations that don't matter in the end
6. Being the person that tries to fix everything

By losing these things, what am I gaining? Plain and simple...Contentment.

So as we begin 2026, what is something you'd like to bring into your life and what is something you'd like to get rid of? Make a list, write it down.

"What are you gaining, what are you losing?"