As I reflect on the start of 2026, I’m reminded of the old saying: ‘Man makes his plans, but God directs his steps.’
All I can really say is: what a year it has been already! And if I’m honest, I suspect many of you feel the same.
While unpacking boxes from my recent move, I came across an old journal. Tucked inside was a single piece of paper with words written in big, bold black letters:
What doesn’t challenge you, doesn’t change you.
Not to be confused with the song lyric “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Personally, I prefer not to be brought to the brink of death just to earn a resurrection story.
Like many women I know, my plate had been very, very full. Packed with everyone else’s expectations and a heaping scoop of my own desire for approval.
Then something unexpected happened.
After moving to Montana, my plate became… empty. No immediate work demands. Limited family expectations. No clear roadmap. For the first time in years, I had the space I’d been craving.
Rest was on my mind. Rest was in my heart.
And then my Inner Driver showed up.
That’s what I call the part of me that believes what I do is never enough. The part that equates worth with productivity and whispers that stillness is laziness. She told me I couldn’t take a break. She reminded me of all the time I suddenly had and asked why I wasn’t writing my magnum opus or out networking like a “serious” person would.
I argued with her. I told her I was resting now.
Here’s the thing I’ve learned over the years: My Inner Driver has gotten me through some very hard seasons. But she has not always been kind to me. I let her run my life for a long time… right into exhaustion and collapse.
And just when I thought I had stepped into a new season of rest and repair, last time, I noticed something unsettling. I was slipping back into old patterns. Overcommitting. Skipping meals. Tending to everyone else’s needs while quietly neglecting my own.
My Inner Driver had quietly climbed back into the driver’s seat.
If we’re not paying attention, this is how it happens. We return to familiar patterns of self-neglect disguised as determination. We confuse pushing through with being strong.
And then a question stopped me in my tracks:
What if rest itself is the challenge?
For me, it is. Still is.
We live in a world that rewards doing over being, where value is measured by output instead of presence. It’s easy to be swept into that current without realizing how far we’ve drifted from ourselves.
I’m often reminded that what got you here won’t take you there. So what if what takes you there… is rest?
- Nothing to prove.
- Nothing to perform.
- Giving from desire instead of obligation.
As I move through this year with a focus on presence over productivity, I’m holding my work with the same intention. I’m maintaining a limited client load and creating space for depth rather than urgency. I currently have a few openings for individuals who feel aligned with this kind of work. I am available for in person sessions in Whitefish, Montana and telehealth sessions across Montana and Florida.
If someone comes to mind, someone who may be ready for this kind of challenge and change, feel free to forward this piece or share my information with them.
What if slowing down and fully showing up for yourself is the bravest thing you could do this year? Would that be a challenge you’re willing to take?
With intention,
Marcie Rey Landreth, LCSW
Heart Development Strategies LLC