Finding Balance in 2026: Permission to Thrive, Not Just Survive

It has been some time since I last wrote a blog post.

Not because I didn’t have words, but because life required all of my energy, presence, and strength. Sometimes survival takes priority over storytelling. And that’s okay.

But a new year has begun, and with it comes a quiet invitation:

it’s time to find balance again!

I wear many roles in this life:

I am Abi.

I am a mom.

I am a wife.

I am Dr. Abi.

And I love each of these identities deeply.

But loving them doesn’t mean they don’t pull on me... sometimes all at once.

To the Tired Parents and Adults: I See You

I hear you.

The parents who are exhausted but still showing up.

The adults who love their work but are stretched thin by it.

The caregivers who give and give, quietly wondering when ..it’s your turn to rest.

Balance sounds beautiful, but let’s be honest, it’s hard!

Actually… it’s really hard.

I don’t struggle with balance because I don’t care. I struggle because I care so much.

I love being me.

I love being a mom and a wife.

I love my work and my purpose.

But there is a limit to how far one person can go without pause, without space, without renewal.

2026 Is Not About Doing More

This year, I’m not chasing productivity.

I’m not striving for perfection.

I’m not trying to be everything, everywhere, all at once.

2026 is about Thriving... Not just Surviving.

It’s about choosing peace where I once chose pressure. It’s about listening to my body when it whispers instead of waiting until it screams. It’s about allowing joy back into the spaces where responsibility has taken over.

Balance, for me, doesn’t mean equal time for everything. It means intentional presence, knowing when to lean in and when to step back.

Renewal Is an Act of Courage

Choosing renewal isn’t selfish. Choosing rest isn’t quitting. Choosing joy doesn’t mean you love your responsibilities any less.

It means you’re honoring the fact that you are human.

This year, I’m giving myself permission to enjoy life again!

To laugh more.

To breathe deeper.

To be fully present in the moments that matter most.

And if you’re reading this and feeling the same pull... I hope you give yourself that permission too.

Let’s Do This Together

If the past few years have taught me anything, it’s this: Balance is not something we find once and keep forever. It’s something we practice, return to, and renegotiate... again and again.

So here’s to 2026...

A year of peace... A year of renewal... A year of thriving!

And to all the tired parents and adults out there... you’re not alone.

I see you.

I’m walking this path right alongside you.

— Abi