The start of a new year. The reset button. A month full of promises, some lasting a minute, some for a lifetime. For me, January was the first month of marriage. It was the first January in 15 years I didn’t have school. It was the first time I feel like I’m truly learning how to be still.

I’ve started running, and honestly, I hate it. We’ve got Disney+ now, and I can’t stop rewatching the old DCOMs. My obsession with This Is Us continues, and I leave for work Monday through Friday at 6:30 a.m., knowing I’d much rather sleep in until 11. But on the bright side, it means I get to watch the sunrise most mornings, so I can’t complain too much.

My 30-minute commute gives me time to catch up on my favorite podcasts or belt out songs at the top of my lungs. I also qualified for the COVID vaccine this month, which brought me to tears thinking of all the incredible people who made it possible. Thank you to the doctors, scientists, healthcare workers, grocery store workers, parents, pastors, and everyone who kept going through one of the hardest years many of us have ever faced.

2020 was a strange year for me, but it also pushed me to try new things. I wrote about fear almost a year ago and how tired I was of living in it, but I kept sitting in it anyway. 2021 won’t be about fear. It will be about growing, learning, listening, and getting uncomfortable. I’m excited about all the possibilities ahead.

January.