I am always already behind on January 1st. I’m late and disorganized and definitely underprepared. Pre motherhood, I would spend the last couple weeks of December reflecting on the year gone by and planning for the new year. I would spend time drafting lofty dreams and creating spreadsheets with goals and metrics. There would be graphs and charts and vision boards. I would wake up on January 1st READY.   Ready to start fresh.  Ready to live my crisp new dreams.   Ready to make sh*t happen.  Then I became a mom.   For the last 10 years, I have spent the holidays in chaos. Lovely, exhausting, magical, frantic weeks on end where I have no time, no childcare, and no energy to sit and dream about a new year.  As a result, I wake up every January 1st knowing that a bunch of people spent the last few weeks in quiet reflection and dreaming - but I did not. I spent it creating and managing magic for my child and family.   A few years ago I gave myself permission to let January be an entire month of beginning and becoming. I don’t need to start fresh, live my crisp, new dreams, or make sh*t happen right on January 1st. I have the whole month to figure out where I’m going. And, during that month, there is only ONE thing that needs to happen.  If this ONE thing happens, I know I’ll be set for the year. This ONE thing can happen on a Monday evening or a Thursday morning or a Saturday afternoon. This ONE thing can take 20 minutes or 2 hours. This ONE thing can happen on my terms.   In this episode, I will share the ONE thing and why it is critical to helping you create a vision and action plan for 2023.   Link mentioned: Register for my 2023 Plan & Prep Pajama Party: shamelessmom.com/pajamaparty Thank you to our sponsors this month: Full Time VA: Check out this free training on how to be a virtual assistant that makes full-time income with part-time hours: thefulltimeva.com/Shameless.  Owner Amanda Rush Holmes is also including a bonus free guide for SMA listeners -  The VA Kickstarter Workbook! Ritual: Ritual’s Essential for Women 18+ is a multivitamin you can actually trust. Ritual is offering my listeners 10% off during your first 3 months.  Visit ritual.com/shameless to start Ritual or add Essential for Women 18+ to your subscription today. Rothys: For stylish, comfortable, sustainably made shoes, shop Rothy’s. Get $20 off your first purchase at rothys.com/SHAMELESSMOM.  StrollerCoaster: A Parenting Podcast!: Need another podcast in your parenting podcast library, check out StrollerCoaster: A Parenting Podcast! wherever you listen to the SMA.  Thrive Market: Get groceries and household essentials delivered right to your door.  Join Thrive Market today and get 30% off your first order, plus a FREE $60 gift! Go to thrivemarket.com/shameless.  Teachable: Join tens of thousands of creators turning their knowledge into scalable online businesses. Join a free plan at teachable.com/shameless to get started.  Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at sales@adalystmedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices