A New Year's Message from Melissa
Dearest Community,
By now, you’ve likely seen the usual New Year messages — invitations to reset, set goals, make resolutions, reinvent ourselves...
And while I love a fresh start as much as anyone, today I'm inviting you to hit pause on the resolutions, and take a moment for reflection — not on what needs to change, but on everything you're already doing right.
The care you give. The patience you've found. The quiet strength you've offered. The traditions you've carried. The meals you've prepared for others — all the simple, beautiful ways you already show up for the people you love (and for yourself, too).
There’s so much talk about what to do better next year. But today, I hope you’ll thank yourself for the woman you've already become.
I’m so grateful to be walking alongside this community of strong, thoughtful women. You remind me—over and over again—that showing up with heart matters.
And, I'd love it if you would share with me in the comments below, some of the things — great and small — that you've done beautifully in this past year.
Here’s to carrying that into whatever comes next.
With love,
Melissa
P.S. Click below to find all the recipes from our New Year's Eve grazing table, and be sure to watch our very special year-in-review video!
59 comments
I set my retirement goal in 2025. Now, I can focus on my goals to get there. Not big on journalling, but I have found an occasional brain dump to be helpful. Pulled out my 2025 brain dump, which included some goals, and found I could check off a few. I’m writing a year of 2025 brain dump to clear all of that out of my head so I can start fresh in 2026. Thanks for all your support this year!
Thank you for talking about pausing and reflecting. I have been so ready to start the new year, I realized that even though 2025 has been hard in a multiple of ways, there has been good things.
I became a grandma this year and that has been glorious!
My family is healthy and happy, we are close and connected. That is an amazing gift to have everyday.
I have done really great work at my job. Turnover is down considerably and I hope that is in part to the team’s work on culture, employee engagement, wellness efforts, and teaching my mental health first aid course.
My husband and I took an alone trip for the first time in 20 years.
I had several great talks with my mom and dad, and tons of laughter.
I reconnected with several cousins this past year on both sides of my family.
I read more books in 2025, just for fun.
On the topic of Modern Prairie, I enjoyed finding this space this year. I am embracing my inner Bonnethead, grandma hobbies, and watching Little House every night to decompress.
Thank you to this community for all you do.
I have survived the first fall of being an “empty nester.” I was very nervous about how it would feel, but I have grown to enjoy quieter moments, and spending a little more time on getting my body, mind, and soul to feel at peace. It is a journey, and I have a long way to go, but I am glad to say that I am starting to take time for myself. Thank you for this wonderful community!
In February I retired after almost 32 years with my local County building department. I was exhausted and burnt out. It’s been a season of rest & doing things that bring me joy ever since. In May I attend a crochet retreat, a retirement gift to myself at a resort about an hour away. It was a fun weekend with people who enjoy my passion of crochet. I started sewing again and decided to take free motion quilt classes and learned many new things. In October I traveled across the country to Maryland and spent 10 days with cousins. This trip was a treasure spending precious time with people who are so dear to me.
This year has been beautiful and full of self-care I neglected to do during my career. The last 7 years were spent in management where I spent so much time doing for everyone else and neglected myself along the way that led to burnout. I’m taking slow steps to find myself again and it’s a beautiful journey.
I finally got a sourdough starter to work which I am so excited about and keep showing it to others and asking them to smell it :). I have made a couple of loaves which came out beautifully. I just became a grandma which I am super excited about. I am getting better at my favorite craft hobby-making journals and enjoy that process tremendously! And I am apart of of this group and have signed up for 2 crafts and a book zoom meeting. I love this group because I always loved Melissa in LHOP and also love that there is a group for this age group! Blessings!