A Routine to Start with Wonder

When I worked as an educator, my days ran on structure. Classes gave shape to the hours. Routine kept my mind steady and helped me stay organized.

Now that my work looks different, I protect a small morning ritual to keep that steadiness. I start the day with a short Tai Chi sequence. It grounds me even when life feels busy.

That routine came to mind when I opened a dog-eared page in The Tao of Pooh and landed on this conversation between Pooh and Piglet:

“When you wake up in the morning, Pooh,” said Piglet at last, “what’s the first thing you say to yourself?”

“What’s for breakfast?” said Pooh. “What do you say, Piglet?”

“I say, I wonder what’s going to happen exciting today?”

Pooh nodded thoughtfully.

“It’s the same thing,” he said.

There is something refreshing about starting the day with simple curiosity.

A small moment of openness.

A gentle way to set the tone before responsibilities take over.

If you are navigating change or rebuilding routines of your own, you can start with one repeatable action each morning. It does not have to be elaborate. It only needs to help you step into the day with a steadier mindset.

If you want help building that structure in a way that works for your life, I am here.

When You Know Something Needs to Change, But You’re Not Sure What to Do Next

There’s a moment many women reach—quietly, often privately—when the life they’ve been managing no longer feels like the life they want. Nothing dramatic has to happen. Sometimes it’s subtle. A shift. A tug. A question you can’t seem to quiet. You wake up in the morning, move through your familiar routines, and feel a small ache of knowing: This isn’t quite right anymore.

If this sounds close to home, you’re not alone. Many women in transition experience this early sense of change long before they feel ready to act on it. Let’s slow down and unpack what might be happening underneath.

1. You’ve been carrying more than people realize

Women often move through life with remarkable steadiness, even when things feel wobbly on the inside. You support your family, your workplace, your community. You anticipate needs before they appear. You adjust. You absorb. You cope.

But at some point, your internal bandwidth reaches its edge.

You might notice:

• a heaviness you can’t quite name

• irritation at small things that never bothered you

• a sense that you’re “going through the motions”

• a desire to withdraw, not because you want less, but because you need a moment to breathe

These early signs are not failures. They’re information.

2. You don’t feel as connected to yourself as you once were

This is one of the most common experiences women share during transitions. Life asks for a lot—caregiving, partnership, work, emotional labor—and it’s easy to lose track of the parts of yourself that once felt unmistakably you.

You may ask:

• When did I stop feeling excited about my own goals?

• Why do decisions feel harder than they used to?

• Why do I keep postponing the things that matter to me?

Reconnection happens gradually, and often begins with a small moment of honesty:
“I’m ready for something different.”

3. Your confidence dips—not because you lack ability, but because you’ve been overextended

When you’ve spent years prioritizing others, your own needs can feel unfamiliar.

• You second-guess what you want.

• You doubt your next step.

• You hesitate to trust your own judgment.

This doesn’t mean you’re lost.It means you’ve been giving from a place that needs replenishing. A transition is less about becoming someone new and more about returning to yourself with clarity and intention.

4. You sense that change is coming, but you don’t have a plan for it yet

This is the space many women find themselves in—the in-between. Not unhappy, but not fulfilled.
Not stuck, but not moving. Capable, but unsure where to start.

• You don’t need a five-year roadmap.

• You don’t need a fully formed plan.

• You don’t need to have everything figured out.

You just need a direction.

5. You know you want more ease, more meaning, and more steadiness in your days

Most transitions aren’t about dramatic reinventions. They’re about wanting:

• more alignment

• more clarity

• more choice

• more of yourself in your own life

And when you begin to name what you want, even quietly, you create space for your next chapter to take shape. If this resonates, you may be closer to change than you think. You don’t have to make a big leap. You don’t have to overhaul your life.

Sometimes the first step is simply acknowledging what you’re feeling and giving yourself permission to explore it.

To help you reflect gently and at your own pace, I created a guide that walks you through early signs of meaningful life change and gives you space to consider what you might want next.

Get the guide here: “5 Signs You’re Ready for a Major Life Change”

It might help you hear yourself more clearly.

Why Traditional Productivity Advice Fails Neurodivergent Adults—and What to Try Instead

If you’ve ever tried to “just stay organized” or “use a planner” or “be more disciplined” and found yourself frustrated a week later, you’re in good company.

Many neurodivergent adults—whether ADHD, autistic, gifted, twice-exceptional, or simply wired differently—have spent years trying to fit into systems that were never designed with them in mind.

• It’s not a lack of intelligence.

• It’s not a lack of effort.

• It’s not a character flaw.

It’s a mismatch.

Let’s talk about why common productivity strategies fall short, and what can help instead.

1. Most tools assume you process information linearly

Many workplace systems follow a predictable workflow:

• prioritize

• plan

• break tasks into steps
  follow the plan

• But not everyone’s mind organizes information in a straight line.

• Some people think in layers.

• Some jump to the middle of a problem.

• Some work best after a burst of clarity or hyperfocus.
  Some need time to warm up before anything makes sense.

• When a system doesn’t match how you naturally think, it feels fragile.
  It works for a day or two, then collapses under its own structure.

2. Task initiation challenges are almost never solved by “trying harder”

One of the most misunderstood executive function skills is simply the ability to start.

You may feel:

• frozen at the beginning

• overwhelmed by the first step

• unsure where to begin

• flooded by too many ideas

• distracted by smaller tasks

This isn’t laziness. It’s a neurological pattern.

Strategies that honor how you start—rather than shame you for how you don’t—are far more effective.

3. Sensory load plays a much bigger role than most people realize

If you’ve ever lost momentum because:

• a sound irritated you

• a room felt too bright

• a conversation drained your energy

• a task required more emotional labor than expected

You’re not imagining it. Sensory overwhelm can interrupt executive function completely. Many traditional productivity systems ignore this reality.

Acknowledging sensory needs isn’t indulgent—it’s practical.

4. Feedback and instructions often come at a pace that doesn’t allow for clarity

Some neurodivergent adults take in information differently. If instructions are fast, vague, or layered, they become hard to retain.

• This isn’t a comprehension issue.

• It’s a processing issue.

The good news?
Better communication strategies can make the difference between constant confusion and genuine clarity.

5. Consistency is easier when the system is built around how you operate—not how others expect you to operate

It’s common for neurodivergent individuals to:

• start strong

• lose momentum

• feel discouraged

• start again

• repeat

This cycle isn’t a failure. It’s a signal that the tools aren’t supporting your natural rhythm.

When your system is:

• lighter

• clearer

• more flexible

• tailored to your energy

• designed around your patterns

Consistency becomes possible—sometimes for the first time. You don’t need more motivation. You need a better fit.

If you’ve been frustrated by organization, planning, communication, or follow-through, it may help to take a clearer look at where executive function shortfalls are showing up for you.

I created a simple guide that helps you reflect on these challenges without judgment and understand what might be getting in the way of your progress.

You can download it here: “Are Executive Function Shortfalls Shortchanging Your Career?”

It’s a gentle starting point for understanding what’s been hard—and where change is possible.