Forget Resolutions—Here’s How to Set Intentions That Stick
Kick off the new year with a dose of inspiration and intention. In this special Mom to MORE® mini episode, Sharon Macey explores why resolutions fade—and how setting meaningful intentions can guide you through 2026 with purpose, courage, and clarity.
She invites you to tune into that quiet nudge calling you toward your next chapter, reminding you that courage isn’t about being fearless—it’s about beginning anyway. You’ll learn why clarity follows action and how even the smallest steps can create unstoppable momentum.
This episode is your gentle reminder that motherhood wasn’t the end of your growth—it was your masterclass. The skills you’ve honed are the foundation for your next reinvention. If you’ve been feeling pulled toward something new, this is the spark to begin.
Looking for More? Join the Mom To MORE® Community and grab your freebie: 6 Ways To Reinvent Yourself Beyond Motherhood at momtomore.com
Follow @momtomore on Instagram, Facebook and now on Pinterest. @Sharon Macey on LinkedIn.
Keep an eye out for episode #54 of the Mom to MORE® podcast where Sharon is joined by Drew Ann Long, Founder of Caroline’s Cart-a groundbreaking product for special needs individuals. Coming soon - you won’t want to miss it ♥
-
Sharon Macey (01:02)
Welcome back to a special Mom to More Mini episode to ring in the new year. Okay, let's be honest. This is the time of year when everyone is talking about resolutions. Lose the weight, get organized, start the thing. And yet, by the time the Valentine's Day candy hits the shelves, most of these resolutions have packed up and just quietly gone home. So what if this year,
We did it differently. What if we skip the pressure of resolutions and instead set intentions, you know, like in a yoga class? Because an intention isn't about checking boxes or chasing perfection like a resolution is. It's about anchoring into how we want to feel this upcoming year and what kind of energy we want to bring into our next chapter. Intentions are the quiet compass that
kind of guide us all year long. And when we set them with purpose, that gives them staying power. Okay, so this year is not gonna be about fixing yourself because you are already an extraordinary human being and mom, and you know that. So let's make this year about claiming yourself, stepping into who you are and being really good with that. What if your goal wasn't to become someone new, but to bring back the version of you
that's been waiting patiently while you were raising everyone else. You don't need to overhaul your life to start. You just need to decide that this is the year to take one tiny, brave, intentional step towards something that really lights you up. It might sound scary, but hey, it's really exciting. And what if we can turn that thought of fear into anticipation, into excitement?
into action.
If you've been around here for a while, you know, one of my favorite sayings is that you do not need to have all your ducks in a row to take your first step. In fact, you need to take that first step to start to get your ducks in maybe like a zigzag sort of weird pattern. I mean, for me, my ducks, well, they've been scattered and distracted and one of them is probably still wearing their holiday pajamas.
But that's life, right? That's the beauty of it. And waiting for them to line up perfectly keeps us standing still. Yep, it's our old friends, procrastination and fear. Why are they always on our shoulders? But I gotta tell you, every single guest that I have ever interviewed started before they were ready. And I'm putting ready in air quotes. They started because they took that first step.
They met someone for coffee. They pulled out the computer and started writing after being challenged by someone in their family who's like, you can't write that book. And they're like, yeah, watch me do it.
They realized their zone of genius and thought, if not now, when remember momentum creates clarity and not the other way around. So this year, do not wait for perfect. It won't come. Don't wait for anything.
Start messy, start ugly, start curious, but just start.
Here's something else I've been saying a lot lately. Motherhood is a life masterclass. We all know it is not the final chapter. Boy, far from it. I believe though that it is the boots on the ground for your greatest reinvention and your greatest chapter yet. Yeah, all that comes from motherhood. Think about it.
We've spent years leading households, negotiating with four-year-olds, sometimes winning, sometimes not. But hey, fine tuning those negotiation skills anyway. We've been managing crises, multitasking like CEOs and running logistics that would make a captain in the military who specializes in logistics, weep. We have been shaping the next generation of humans. But what of this season is our chance?
to reshape ourselves.
What if motherhood has been preparing you all along for something bigger? A creative calling, a business, a project, a purpose that is uniquely yours. So here's the secret I wish more women knew. You already have the resume for reinvention. Yeah, you do. You've got radical empathy. You've got conflict resolution and strategic thinking. You've got project management.
You've got creativity. You can lead through chaos, advocate like a pro, multitask with heart, and handle uncertainty with grace. These are not soft skills. They're superpowers, and the world needs more of them. Motherhood is not a pause on growth. It is a masterclass in leadership, creativity, resilience, and grit, and so much more. You have been leading all along.
You just didn't have the title.
So where do you get the courage to begin? If you've been feeling that nudge to try something new, whether it's starting a business, writing that book, taking a class, returning to whatever it was you put aside for the kids, listen to that. That voice is the real you. and it is tugging at your sleeve, perhaps annoyingly, you know, just like your kids when they really wanted your attention. And your next chapter? Well, it wants your attention too.
Okay, so it's a little scary. It's new and unchartered, but so is life. And remember, courage isn't the absence of fear. It's simply taking that one small step despite the fear. So ask yourself, what does more look like for you this year? Is it more peace, more creativity, more challenge, more fun. more outside of the box stuff? Whatever it is, start there.
Tiny steps are still forward motion, and sometimes they lead to the biggest changes of all. So here are a few easy ways to start your more right now, like right now, today, this very day. OK, here we go. Pick one small goal that excites you, not overwhelms you. Whatever it is, just pick one small goal and then say it out loud to someone.
Accountability really makes it real. And write it on your mirror, preferably in red lipstick, but write it down somewhere.
Take a baby step today. Sign up for that workshop, dust off that project, send the email, do something to make that step happen. And then celebrate the try. Woohoo! Even the tiniest action deserves huge credit. And remember, reinvention does not happen overnight. It happens moment by moment, inch by inch, and it happens when you believe you can do it. And yes, you...
can.
So here's my challenge to you. This year, do not aim for perfect, aim for possible. Motherhood was your first act of leadership. Your next act? Well, that's up to you. From kitchen tables to conference tables, from carpool lines to new beginnings, the world needs what you have learned and who you have become by virtue of being a mom.
you have already done the hardest job in the world raising the next generation of humans. Everything after that? Well, that's the fun part.
So if you're ready to start your next chapter, but not really sure how, I've got you. Join the Momtimore community. Connect with other women who are building their what's next. Subscribe to the show if you haven't already on whichever platform you listen to podcasts on.
And I invite you to grab a free 15-minute spot for one of my reinvention Kickstarter calls. You can DM me and I'll send it to you. Because sometimes all it takes is one conversation to get your ducks starting to waddle in the same direction.