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Happy Sunday 👋🏾,

How did your first full week in January go?

Be honest—did you forget your work passwords? Or maybe you found yourself staring at the screen, thinking, “How do I even do this again?”

That’s cool—it happens. Or maybe you hit the gym this week and realised you’re not quite the athlete you were before Christmas (LOL). Honestly, it’s rare that we get to fully switch off, and Christmas is one of those times when we actually can, so no guilt over here.

I’m not going to lie—this first week back has been… humbling.

This week, I went back to the gym after six weeks off. Yep—six whole weeks of no exercise. Let’s just say my body has been feeling it.

Quick story: it was chest day. I walked over to grab the dumbbells I’d normally warm up with. Bent down. I went to lift them, and nothing. They didn’t move. I tried again—still nothing.

I humbled myself, walked down to the lower end of the dumbbell rack, picked a lighter weight, and sat there thinking, “Okay, I’m going to have to work my way back up!”

I caught myself thinking, Why can’t I do what I used to? But then I reminded myself: I’ve been out for six weeks, my body is recovering from an infection, and progress takes time.

It was frustrating, but here’s the lesson: when you stop using something—a muscle, a skill, or even a habit—you lose it. And that’s fine—it’s just how it works.

So this week, I’ve been focusing on just showing up. No ego, no comparisons to where I was before. Just doing the work, one step at a time.

My goal? To finish a 5K without stopping. To lift with confidence again. Progress, not perfection.

Three Intentions for 2025

1. Elimination
​Last year, I realised success isn’t just about what you do—it’s also about what you don’t do.

So, I took a hard look at what drained my energy: toxic people, bad habits, unnecessary tasks, and saying yes to things I didn’t really want to do. And I started cutting.

This year, I’m also sticking to one major rule: no morning meetings.

Mornings—from 9 to 1—are my most productive hours. That’s when I’m sharpest, so I’ve decided to reserve that time for deep work and tackling the things that move the business forward. Meetings? They can wait until later.

Of course, if it’s a big deal and mornings are the only option, I’ll adapt. But my first go-to is: no morning meetings.

A full-hearted no is always better than a half-hearted yes.

What about you? What could you eliminate this year to make space for what really matters?

2. Laying the Groundwork
​If I’m honest, I winged it too much last year. And it showed. Planning? Minimal. Strategy? Barely there.

This year, I’m being intentional. I’ve mapped out most of my 2025—key KPIs for H2H Edu and the non-profit, even holidays with Sheri. (Well, maybe not the holidays just yet—we’re still discussing. Apparently, I’m “boujee,” but we’ve set a deadline for the end of January to sort it out!)

The key shift for me is about creating systems that make life easier and reduce friction. This includes breaking big goals into actionable steps and building a structure that works, so there’s no more scrambling to figure things out on the fly.

What’s one thing you could prepare better for in the months ahead?

3. Prioritising What Matters
​This year, I’m doing fewer things—but doing them better.

Last year, even with fewer goals, I still felt distracted. Too many plates spinning, not enough focus on what really mattered.

This year, I’m doubling down. One of my priorities? Growing the non-profit.

We did good work last year, but I know deep down we could have done more. This year, we’re pivoting to more online initiatives. (More on that soon.)

For now, I’m excited to put systems in place to make a bigger impact.

The key is consistency. Big goals aren’t achieved in one big leap. They’re built step by step, brick by brick.

What’s one thing you want to focus on doing exceptionally well this year?

This week, for me, has been about getting back into a routine—in the gym, at work, and in life. And while there have been moments of frustration, I keep reminding myself: show up, even when you don’t want to.

So if your first week hasn’t gone the way you wanted—whether in the gym, at work, or anywhere else—that’s fine. It’s the first week. You don’t have to smash all your goals in January.

Build a system that works for you. Take it one step at a time.

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Have a great week!

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