Merry Happy HanuChrismaKwanWinterSolstice, friends!
I hope you’re celebrating in whatever way feels good to you — and also getting enough sleep, not eating only sugar, not fully burning yourself out, and taking at least a little care of your mental health.
Because… this time of year is nutso, right?!
Also, welcome to that strange in-between week.
The week where no one knows what day it is.
The week where routines are optional, pajamas are acceptable attire, and “I’ll start fresh next year” is whispered quietly to ourselves… while reaching for another cookie.
Right now, I’m in Florida for a family bat mitzvah.
Before that, we hosted friends at our place for a week — which was actually so fun because:
A) Adina got a totally guilt-free homeschool break (win 🏆)
B) We got to play tour guide around our tiny island home
And honestly? After living on a 20-mile island with 200,000 people for 5 years, there isn’t a ton that feels new anymore. But seeing Barbados through fresh eyes reminds me why we fell in love with it in the first place. Sometimes it takes a different perspective to reconnect with what’s right in front of us.
We’ll be hanging in Florida a bit longer, then heading home to settle into a routine for a couple of weeks before jetting off again. (Mid-February we’ll be in Baltimore — if you’re there and want to connect, tell me!)
I’m especially excited to get back because I’m starting an in-person group class for moms, and I cannot wait to feel that group energy again. Teaching live, breathing humans brings me so much joy!
Which brings me to this moment — the week before the new year.
Everyone is either:
• aggressively planning goals
• loudly rejecting goals
• or pretending January doesn’t exist
Whatever camp you’re in… here’s my take as your corrective exercise coach:
There is nothing wrong with wanting a reset.
There is nothing wrong with curiosity.
And there is definitely nothing wrong with entering a new season with intention.
In corrective exercise, we don’t throw everything out and start from scratch.
We assess.
We notice what feels off.
We work with one thing at a time to restore balance, strength, and confidence.
New years can be the same.
Call them goals.
Call them hopes.
Call them “things I’d like to feel a little better about.”
What matters isn’t perfection — it’s awareness and gentle follow-through.
So as 2026 peeks around the corner, I’ll ask you the same thing I ask my clients in movement:
What do you want to improve?
Not everything.
Not forever.
Just… what’s one thing you’d love to feel stronger, steadier, or more at ease with?
If you feel like sharing, head over to Instagram and tell me. I genuinely want to know — and I promise, no judgment, no hustle, no “new year, new you” nonsense.
Sending you so much love, peace, rest, and deeply satisfying diaphragmatic breaths this holiday season.
Coach Joanie 🤍
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