Letting Winter Be Winter

Written By Tara Lietzow

Photo by Saliha Sevim via Pexels

In an ideal world, I’d start January fresh and ready to go….

But that doesn’t really make sense for me, from a family perspective or based on the time of year. January is peak winter in my mind, and I don’t want to hit the ground running. I want to move slowly and with intention.

I usually feel like I come back more to “life” in February, especially after mid-winter break (a week in February when kids in Seattle don’t have school). The days get a little longer, the sun shows up more often, and nature starts to hint at new life.

So for 2026, I’ve decided to take January and February to focus on three things:

  • Getting through my first budget season in my fractional role

  • Planning out and being more intentional with Alchemy in 2026

  • Getting some projects done around the house to open up some mental space

But before I get too focused on 2026, I want to pause and acknowledge that while a lot made 2025 hard (in so many ways), there was also a lot of good. I’m proud of how much I accomplished, things the version of me from five years ago wouldn’t have imagined possible.

I also had an incredible year of reading and want to share the highlights with you. I hope it helps you discover something new to read.

Some of the growth this year shows up in numbers, but some of it showed up in moments.

2025: The Firsts

This was the first year I ever:

  • Attended a conference representing my own business

  • Was interviewed for an online summit

  • Did an IG Live and an IG Stories takeover (and in the same week!)

  • Achieved airline status

  • Visited Hawaii

  • Achieved blackout on my library’s summer bingo

2025: The Numbers

  • 143 books read (56,000 pages!)

  • 14 newsletters published

  • 9 blog posts written

  • 1 website launched

  • 8 round-trip flights (hence, achieving airline status)
    (4 to visit family, 3 for work, and 1 vacation)

2025: The Books

(Some of these links are affiliate links, which help support this blog at no extra cost to you.)

These are the books that stayed with me… not just the ones I finished.

Final Thoughts

There’s no shortage of guidance on how to wrap up a year or prepare for the next one. Use what resonates, leave what doesn’t, and remember that doing something differently doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong.

What matters most, especially when it comes to reflection and planning, is finding an approach that actually works for you.

January, for me, isn’t a beginning. It’s a pause. A quieter stretch of winter where forward motion looks more like noticing, reflecting, and gently setting direction rather than charging ahead.

I think back to high school math class, when I’d arrive at the right answer but through a completely different process than the teacher or other students. I remember feeling embarrassed by that… like I had done something wrong, even though I hadn’t. At the time, that difference made me self-conscious.

Now I see it differently. The path matters less than the understanding you gain along the way. Different isn’t wrong… it’s often an advantage.

That’s how I’m thinking about this season too. Taking my time. Reflecting in my own way. Letting winter be winter. And trusting that moving forward thoughtfully, even slowly, still gets me where I’m meant to go.

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About Me

I’m Tara, founder of Alchemy Advising, a consulting practice that helps small and mid-sized businesses grow with clarity, confidence, and a lot less chaos.

This blog is where I share reflections on entrepreneurship, ambition, motherhood, and the magic (and mess) of building something meaningful—one decision at a time.

Curious about working together? Reach out here—I’d love to hear more about your business.

Tara Lietzow https://www.alchemyadvising.co
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Tiny Experiments, Big Year