Happy Girl on the Rise Wednesday,

Welcome to 2026! Is it everything you imagined it would be yet? Not gonna lie, 2025 was a little bit draining, so this year I’m approaching it a little bit differently, and I can’t wait to tell you all about it in today’s newsletter.

This week’s Girl on the Rise Newsletter is 823 words (4-minute read)

This week’s affirmation:

“I choose discernment over pressure and alignment over urgency.”

You Don’t Need A New You.

Every January, it’s the same message everywhere:

New year, new you.
Reinvent yourself.
Fix what’s broken.
Become someone better.

And while intention-setting can be beautiful, there’s something about this narrative that quietly tells us that who we are right now isn’t enough.

Trust me, I used to be that girl. Every January, I’d create a laundry list of shit that I needed to fix about myself. I’d create a “new version” of me that I HAD to become. And if I didn’t? Well, I was a failure.

Now, I’m not knocking self-betterment. I’m a full advocate. This is a newsletter about becoming the best version of yourself after all.

But how you frame growth really matters.

So I want to offer a different beginning.

What if this year isn’t about becoming someone new? What if you make it about coming home to who you already are?

What if growth doesn’t start with self-rejection, but with self-honesty?

You don’t need to erase the version of you who survived last year.
You don’t need to punish yourself into progress.
You don’t need to declare war on your past to move forward.

You are not a problem to fix (Read that again). You are a whole-ass person who is both beautiful and complex.

Letting Go of the Pressure.

The funny thing is, we try to hype ourselves up for the New Year. We tell ourselves that it’s going to be the reset that we need, and we’re going to start January 1st motivated, disciplined, and crystal clear on our intentions. (By a show of hands, who was all three of those on January 1st?)

But under all that pressure, what actually happens is that we enter the year exhausterwhelmulated (exhausted, overwhelmed, overstimulated).

You know why? Because clarity doesn’t come from forcing answers. It comes from listening. From asking questions like:

• What truly drained me last year?

• What felt aligned and right, even if it was just for a moment?

• What am I ready to release, knowing I have outgrown it?

The new year doesn’t require a brand-new identity.

What is really needs is discernment. 

And to spare you asking Google to define that, what it means is pausing long enough to understand what’s right for you, rather than reacting to what you think you should want. It’s choosing awareness over pressure so you can go inward before deciding what to keep, release, or grow.

A New Approach.

So, to wrap this all up. What if you chose to enter this year differently?

Instead of a “new you,” what if your intention sounded more like:

I want to trust myself more.

I want to move with less urgency.

I want my life to feel like mine.

Remember, growth doesn’t have to be loud. And healing doesn’t have to be aesthetic (In fact, it’s 0% aesthetic. A.K.A ugly AF).

There’s no rush. No timeline. Just you, becoming more you, at your own pace!

Until next time, keep going and keep growing.

Oh! And if this resonated with you, I’d love to hear from you! You can reply to this email with one sentence, or even just one word. I read it all!

Coach Tay

P.S. Let’s make 2026 the year of YOU! If you want support building a life that feels aligned, energized, and deeply YOU in 2026, my RiseStronger Coaching Program is open for new clients. Your next level is literally one decision away, and it could just be the best decision you ever make! Click on “the button” to book a free discovery call. Or, reply to this email and let’s talk. Taking the first step doesn’t have to be scary!

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