A Letter of Intention: Purpose, Peace & Presence | January 2025

January 22, 2026

Dear Friends,

As we step into the New Year, I found myself reflecting on the patterns that truly sustain us. In a world that often demands more … more volume, more speed, and more of everything, I wanted to share a few thoughts on the grace of slowing down and the courage of choosing alignment over approval.

Here are twelve reflections I am carrying with me into this year:

I. The Internal Compass

01. The Gift of Slowing Down Slow down—not to avoid the world, but to hear your own soul. You don’t need immediate certainty; you need radical honesty. Clarity isn’t a destination you find; it’s a frequency you tune into when you stop the noise.

02. The Grace of Letting Go If you keep reaching for what has already let go of you, you’ll miss what is trying to meet you. Letting go isn’t a failure of character; it’s an act of alignment. Release what no longer responds to your effort to make room for what truly belongs.

03. The Integration of "Becoming" You aren't behind; you are becoming. Feeling lost often means the old map no longer fits the new territory of your soul. Stop rushing the process just to look "sorted" for the world. Building a life that actually fits you is worth the slow pace.

II. The Boundaries of Peace

04. Boundaries are Kindness Kindness without boundaries is self-abandonment. You are allowed to disappoint others to stay aligned with the truth inside you. Stop shrinking to keep a false peace. Growth will cost you some relationships, but it will return you to yourself.

05. Peace is Your Green Flag Peace is not "boring"—it is safe. If a situation consistently makes you question your worth or keeps you in hyper-vigilance, listen to that nudge. Life should feel like a deep relief, not a constant state of management.

06. The Nervous System at Rest Love should expand you, not destabilize you. Intensity is not the same as intimacy, and chemistry is not a substitute for compatibility. Choose the people and the paths where your nervous system can finally settle and breathe.

III. The Courage of Alignment

07. Alignment over Negotiation If a path requires you to abandon your core values, it isn’t the right path, no matter how strong the pull. True alignment doesn't require constant self-negotiation; it brings a peace that surpasses understanding.

08. Choose "Truer" over "More" Stop settling in your work, your relationships, and your self-talk. You don’t need more volume; you need truer resonance. A life that fits won’t require a constant need for escape. Choose alignment over approval every single time.

09. The Weight of Choice You don’t need permission; you need the courage to choose the path that asks more of you, not less. If you keep circling the same decision, the cost builds in the background. Remember: Regret is always heavier than the effort of starting.

IV. The Path Forward

10. The Discipline of Movement Understanding a pattern is only half the journey; taking a step is where life changes. At a certain point, more "processing" becomes a form of avoidance. You don’t need more information; you need a small, imperfect, uncomfortable step. Confidence is the result of movement, not the prerequisite for it.

11. Nothing is Wasted Nothing in your story was wasted—not the detours, the breakdowns, or the years you felt "behind." Every version of you was doing their best with the tools they had. Let the process be messy; the "everydayness" is where the actual building happens.

12. Protect Your Home Pay attention to the "steady" people—the ones who don’t compete or drain you. Safety is a green flag. Nurture the connections that celebrate your growth without needing to control it.

As you navigate your own "becoming" this year, I hope you find the courage to listen to your own nudge and the strength to choose the path of most resonance.

With warmth, peace and presence,

Rica