The Chinese Lunar New Year symbolizes speed, perseverance and freedom in Chinese Culture. However, as I posted on my socials the other day, I think we need to take a deep look at where we are right now! People are talking about the Year of the Fire Horse like it's a cosmic shortcut to a better life. Fast energy doesn't fix anything. It magnifies whatever is already there. Tight systems get stronger. Loose habits fall apart faster. So before the pace picks up, stop negotiating with yourself and start tightening the bolts. Finish what you keep stepping over. The projects sitting in limbo. The health decisions you've been “about to” make for six months. Every unresolved thing in your life is pulling bandwidth. You don't get sharp focus while dragging unfinished business behind you. Audit your circle. Some people expand your lungs. Some people suffocate momentum. High-energy seasons spread influence quickly, good or bad. Choose who gets proximity to you on purpose. Take care of your body like it's equipment!! Honor your sleep as a strategy, move your body EVERYDAY, and treat Food as fuel. Big opportunities mean nothing if your energy crashes at noon. Then get honest about the target. Write down what you actually want. Vague goals create busy years with no direction. Specific goals create traction. Clean your environment. Yes, the physical one. Your space trains your nervous system. Clutter teaches tolerance for chaos. Order teaches your brain to execute. This one stings because it's true. Fast seasons don't reward wishful thinking. They reward preparation done when nobody was watching. This responsibility has your name on it. Get yourself ready! I'm doing this and you should too! LMK if you need guidance!

Theme: Strength That Connects This is not about needing a hug. This is about being strong enough to give one. Years ago, I helped lead a Free Hugs event in downtown Chicago near The Bean to raise awareness for juvenile Batten disease. It was called “Free Hugs- Kennedy’s Hugs.” She was a warrior. Kennedy Hansen. She was only 16 when she lost her battle to Juvenile Batten Disease. A powerful young girl who loved hard. And through her hugs, she changed people. 🔬 The Science (Solid, Peer-Reviewed) 1️⃣ Oxytocin & Stress Regulation Research shows that warm physical connection increases oxytocin, which: Reduces cortisol (stress hormone) Lowers blood pressure Improves emotional bonding Enhances resilience under stress Study: Heinrichs et al., 2003 – Biological Psychiatry Participants who received supportive contact before a stress test had significantly lower cortisol responses. 2️⃣ Physical Touch & Nervous System Regulation Touch activates the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting calm and emotional safety.- Field (2010) – Developmental Review Moderate pressure touch decreases heart rate and increases vagal tone (linked to emotional regulation and resilience). 3️⃣ Social Connection & Longevity Harvard’s long-term study on adult development (80+ years) concluded: The single strongest predictor of long-term well-being and health is the quality of relationships.- (Harvard University Adult Development Study) Connection is not weakness. It is biological fuel. Strength isn’t the absence of tenderness. It’s the courage to offer it. Strong women don’t cry for rescue. They stand steady enough to become refuge. Connection is not fragility. It is nervous system leadership. Science confirms what wisdom already knew: Support lowers stress hormones. Touch regulates the body. Belonging extends life. But here’s the deeper truth, Some women hug the world so tightly they forget to let someone hold them back. Strength is not carrying everything. It is allowing mutual support. Kennedy taught that.

Your word to yourself is not a wish. It’s the architect of your identity. Anyone can make a promise in a burst of motivation. Integrity is keeping it long after the feeling fades. That’s where self-respect is earned. That’s where momentum begins. I learned this the hard way early in my career. I was fired up on Sundays, then my week got hijacked by everyone else’s urgencies. My words said, “This matters.” My calendar said, “Maybe.” The breakthrough wasn’t more hype. It was alignment. I started scheduling promises like appointments I couldn’t miss. Small, simple, visible. Show up, even when it’s not sexy. That’s when confidence returned, because I could trust myself again. Quote to anchor today: “Your promises don’t define you when you make them. They define you when you keep them.” Growth moves fastest when your words match your schedule. So let’s align: Pick one promise that actually matters this week. Put it on the calendar with a start time and a tiny first step. Tell the group for accountability. Then show up. Strategic tension: Where in your life do your words no longer match your schedule? Finally, Engage: What’s one promise you’re keeping this week, and when exactly will you do it? ✏️ Post it below. Do you know a woman who needs this kind of support and honesty? Invite her into our circle today. One personal invite can change someone’s month. We rise together by keeping our word to ourselves first. Does this bring new clarity for you? What’s the exact promise you’ll calendar today? @Robbin Kaifesh @Roxanne Vilarosa @Mary Ruff @Terri Villanueva @Tiffany Wager @Kari Ralston @Vandetta Kitt @Pam Dez @Lori Anne Phillips

Core Truth: Balance beats excess. “If you seek tranquility, do less. But do what’s essential.” — Marcus Aurelius Here’s the mistake most driven people make (and I’ve done this too): When life feels off, we don’t simplify — we add. 💥 More habits. 💥 More goals. 💥 More podcasts. 💥 More discipline. That’s like building a pizza with a great crust… then drowning it in sauce, piling on toppings, and wondering why it collapses in the middle. I've personally been guilty of this myself. 🍕 Life works the same way. Values are the base Passion is the sauce Skills & habits are the toppings Too much of any one ingredient throws off the whole structure. I’ve coached women who were “doing everything right”, morning routines, workouts, journaling, productivity systems yet felt exhausted, unfocused, and disconnected. What went "wrong?" It wasn't that they lacked effort. 👉 Because they lacked proportion. 👈 🧠 What the science says (no hype): 1. More habits ≠ better outcomes Research on self-regulation and cognitive load shows that excessive goal-stacking increases mental fatigue and reduces follow-through. The brain performs better with fewer, well-aligned priorities than with many competing ones. (Baumeister & Vohs, Psychological Science in the Public Interest) 2. Simplicity improves consistency Studies on habit formation demonstrate that simpler behaviors are more likely to stick, especially under stress. Complexity increases dropout rates. (Lally et al., European Journal of Social Psychology) 3. Value alignment beats effort Neuroscience research shows that behaviors aligned with personal values activate reward circuitry more efficiently, requiring less willpower to sustain. (Self-Determination Theory; Deci & Ryan) Translation: Balance isn’t weakness. It’s optimization. ⚡ Strategic Tension Which ingredient in your life are you overloading… that’s actually ruining the balance? More discipline? More productivity? More people-pleasing? More “shoulds”? 🎯 CTA What’s ONE habit you need to simplify (not add) this week?

Core Truth About Our Energy: Energy is not a feeling. Our bodies create it like generators. You create your own energy. But if you're not careful, you can deplete it. Your energy a finite resource that compounds or corrodes based on where you invest it. Most people budget money better than they budget: Attention Emotional labor Mental bandwidth Creative focus That’s why they’re exhausted but not fulfilled. Here's your mindset reset: You are not “tired.” You’re over-invested in low-return environments. Low ROI energy drains include: People who consume clarity but never create action Situations you’ve already outgrown but keep renegotiating Rumination disguised as “processing” Comfort that costs momentum The SoulFire Question or journey prompt: ✏️ If my energy were money, where am I currently funding decline instead of growth? Write three answers. No soft language. The Daily Directive Today, redirect 10% of your energy toward: One action that builds future you ✔️ One boundary that protects present you ✔️ One choice that aligns with self-respect, not approval. ✔️ That’s it. Small reallocation. Massive long-term return. Today's SoulFire Mantra: “I do not leak energy. I invest it.” Say it once before your first interaction today. Say it once after your last. Okayladies! Churn up your crank and get that energy flowing! Apply it towards people and things that matter! Comment below what you liked, what you learned, if you applied this to your life today. And if you liked this, please invite one of your female friends here to join us in this adventure and in our community! @Mary Ruff @Terri Villanueva @Robbin Kaifesh @Vandetta Kitt @Kari Ralston @Cindy Richins @Sara Collum @Sharon Bailie