1. Great podcast I listened to this week…
One of my most recommended books is Atomic Habits, by James Clear. I heard Clear on a podcast this week, and he was great. The information was super practical… and timely. Establishing new habits is the KEY to getting the results you really want in your life, so I’ll take any help I can get when it comes to becoming better at developing better habits. I highly recommend his book… Atomic Habits, but here is the link to the podcast, Diary of a C.E.O., which I think is worth listening to as you head into 2026. It’s loaded with great tips, nuggets, and strategies that are applicable TODAY!
2. Quote I love…
“You’ll achieve so much more by giving 80% over one year than 100% over three weeks.”
I can’t remember where I heard that, but it’s something that I have thought about quite a bit since hearing it. It is so true and important to realize as you set your new year’s goals. Most people set goals that are too lofty, try too hard, and start out sprinting. They do well for a couple of weeks… then quit. So… instead of going 100% for a few weeks, go at 80% for the whole year (or forever). Your results will absolutely be better.
3. Cool thing we are seeing behind our house…
One of the benefits of living on a lake is that it allows us to see lots of neat animal activity. Although they are elusive, we do occasionally see otters. They are fun to watch when we do see them, as they are definitely playful. One year, we left a stand-up paddle board upside down on an angle on the dock. One day, while it was snowing, three otters were climbing up onto the back of the paddleboard and sliding down the board into the water. They took turns doing it, clearly playing and having fun. This week, we saw a baby (small) otter running back and forth on the retaining wall, and this morning, an adult was on the ice and dove into the water. See footage below of the adult otter we saw today. Pretty cool watching the otters whenever we get the chance. They usually appear to be playing. (Thanks, Mitchell B. for getting that footage!)
