How to Set Yourself Up for a Strong Year as a Mom Entrepreneur (Before Touching Your To-Do List)
Jan 12, 2026
Why a Strong Year Starts With You, Not More Hustle
As we move into a new year, there’s often a rush to plan, set goals, and dive headfirst into execution. New offers. New strategies. New to-do lists. But in this episode of This Mother Means Business, I wanted to slow that momentum down and talk about something that often gets overlooked: how you set yourself up for the year ahead.
This conversation isn’t about hustle culture or productivity hacks. It’s about supporting yourself as a mom and business owner so your business doesn’t end up running you. I’ve had years where I hit financial milestones at the expense of my health, my energy, and my happiness — and I can tell you firsthand, it’s not worth it. Success that costs too much isn’t success at all.
If you want this year to feel lighter, more sustainable, and more aligned, these five foundations matter far more than anything on your task list.
Five Ways to Set Yourself Up for a Strong, Sustainable Year
Decide How You Want Your Days to Feel
Before you think about revenue goals or business milestones, ask yourself a different question: How do I want my days to feel? Calm. Spacious. Focused.
Energized. Grounded.
We’re very good at planning what we want to achieve, but we often skip planning how we want to experience our lives while achieving it. The truth is, if you don’t choose the pace of your life, your calendar will choose it for you.
Every decision you make this year can be filtered through one powerful question: Does this support how I want to feel in this season of my life?
This isn’t about avoiding discomfort or hard work. It’s about making sure the business you’re building actually serves the life you want to live.
Clean Up Mental Clutter Before Adding Anything New
If your brain feels like it has a thousand tabs open, you’re not alone — but it’s also a huge drain on your energy. Unfinished tasks, avoided decisions, and open loops quietly take up space and make everything feel heavier.
Before adding new goals or projects, pause. Do a brain dump. Get everything out of your head and onto paper. Decide what’s for now, what’s for later, and what needs to be closed altogether. Clearing mental clutter creates immediate relief and allows you to start the year feeling fresh instead of already behind.
Set Personal Non-Negotiables Early
Non-negotiables aren’t about rigidity — they’re about stability. Decide your work hours. Decide when you rest. Decide how you protect family time and your own energy. Then communicate those boundaries early and often.
When we don’t set non-negotiables upfront, we end up setting them later — usually after burnout hits. This is how you take care of future you. Life will still happen, but having clear boundaries gives you something to lean on when things feel chaotic.
Create One Simple Rhythm You Can Actually Maintain
You don’t need elaborate routines or perfectly optimized systems. You need one simple rhythm that supports you consistently. That might be a weekly planning session, a daily walk, a morning routine, or a regular check-in with your partner.
The key is sustainability. If a rhythm only works when life is calm, it’s not a supportive system. For me, one non-negotiable rhythm is moving my body before I sit at my desk. When I skip it, everything else feels harder. Simple, repeatable rhythms reduce decision fatigue and help you stay grounded even during busy seasons.
Commit to Showing Up Even When It Feels Uncomfortable
Growth requires visibility. It requires speaking up, sharing your perspective, and allowing yourself to be seen trying — and sometimes failing. You don’t need to feel ready. You just need to be willing.
Showing up with honesty and integrity, even when it feels uncomfortable, is a through line that will serve you in business and in life. Progress doesn’t come from waiting until everything feels perfect.
You Don’t Need to Become Someone New This Year
A strong year doesn’t start with doing more. It starts with feeling supported by your own choices. Things will happen this year that you can’t predict — that’s just life. The goal isn’t to control everything, but to control what you can and support yourself as best as possible along the way.
Instead of asking, What do I need to add? try asking:
- What would make this year feel lighter?
- What am I willing to stop tolerating?
You don’t need to become someone new this year. You just need to set yourself up better.
And that shift alone can change everything.
