It’s the second week of January, and it’s the time when New Year’s resolutions typically start to slacken. So my advice to you all is to stay the course. Try and stay with your resolutions for January, and you’ll soon see it becoming second nature.

Today’s quote by Marie Ray, a writer and poet whose work often explored themes of presence, creativity, and the urgency of living authentically, is a gentle but firm reminder of life’s urgency. It speaks to how easily we postpone the things that matter, convincing ourselves there will be more time later. More clarity. More courage. A better moment. Ray cuts through that illusion. There is no endless runway ahead of us. There is only now. The quote balances beauty with truth. Calling the present moment “sparkling like a star” reminds us how precious and alive it is. At the same time, describing it as “melting like a snowflake” highlights how fleeting it can be. The moment you notice it, it’s already slipping away. This isn’t meant to create panic, but awareness. When you truly grasp how temporary each moment is, procrastination starts to feel costly.

Ray isn’t asking for reckless action or dramatic leaps. She’s pointing toward honest movement. Start where you are. Do the small version of the thing you keep delaying. Write the first paragraph. Make the call. Say the truth. Choose the life-aligned option instead of the safe one. Waiting for certainty often becomes a way of avoiding responsibility for our own happiness. At its core, the quote is about presence and courage. When you act now, you honour both the fragility and the brilliance of being alive. You stop living as though time is guaranteed and start living as though this moment matters. Because it does.

Life is ongoing, and while 2025 did not end the way I hoped it would, 2026 has begun with hope and the promise of a better year. GG has started her internship and is thriving in her chosen field. This is a graduation requirement, but she still has a few courses that she will take this semester. BB is at home, trying to figure out what he wants to do next. He is also applying for university and will get his driver’s license while waiting.

Today’s verse slices straight through comparison culture. The Gita makes it clear: you can win someone else’s race and still lose your life’s meaning. Your dharma isn’t your job title, your résumé, or your social status. It’s your inner compass, your natural blend of talents, tendencies, and temperament. When you imitate someone else’s path because it looks safer, shinier, or socially approved, you lose the steady foundation that comes from authenticity. Imitation always carries anxiety, because you’re operating with borrowed choices.

Following your own path, even clumsily, is the only route to growth that actually transforms you. Imperfection becomes a teacher, not a threat. Fear dissolves because you’re not pretending anymore. This verse is a reminder that your life is not supposed to look like anyone else’s timeline. Your dharma is not mass-produced. It is handcrafted by your story, your struggles, and your strengths. Live it. Even messily, especially messily. That’s where real progress begins.

And in the same vein, the light within you can never be extinguished. This inner source of power guides you through even the darkest moments of your life, allowing you to choose love and trust over fear. On the days you feel lost, remind yourself that this light is your constant source of strength, and nothing can ever take away what lives at your core. You have the power to endure and rise after even the fiercest storms. No setback or obstacle has the power to keep you from what is inherently yours. What belongs to you cannot be lost; it will always come back to you.

With those words, here’s to a beautiful second half of January!

Happy New Year! Here’s to a year of new opportunities, adventures, and memories that last a lifetime. May 2026 be our best year yet.

The week between Christmas and the New Year always feels a bit funny, especially when the holidays come in the middle of the week. I keep thinking that it’s the weekend, and then the weekend comes in, and I am thrown out of balance.

This week’s quote is from former Canadian professional ice hockey player Reggie Leach, nicknamed The Riverton Rifle. His quote today reflects the relentless drive and self-motivation that defined his career and is a blunt, no-nonsense take on what achievement actually requires. It strips away the fantasy that success just happens to lucky people at the right moment. There’s no magic spark from the outside. The fire has to start within you. Leach is talking about intentional intensity. Success demands commitment, urgency, and emotional investment. You don’t drift into meaningful outcomes. You choose them. You show up when motivation is low. You keep going when progress feels slow. Setting yourself on fire isn’t about burnout or reckless obsession. It’s about deciding that what you’re pursuing matters enough to deserve your full energy and attention. 

The quote also calls out passivity. Waiting for the perfect time, the perfect conditions, or external validation is just another way of delaying responsibility. Leach reminds us that effort precedes momentum. Passion often follows action, not the other way around. When you act with purpose, belief and confidence grow alongside it. There’s also an implied warning here: success without effort is usually shallow and short-lived. The things we work hardest for tend to shape us the most. The discipline, resilience, and self-trust built along the way become part of the reward. You don’t just reach success; you become someone capable of sustaining it.

One of my goals for 2026, among other things, is to read the Bhagavad Gita. I do not know Sanskrit, so I will read an English translation. I will also share interesting verses from the book each week. Part of the epic, the Mahabharata, the Bhagavad Gita is not a religious rulebook; it’s a philosophical conversation about how to live when life feels complicated. One can think of the book as an ancient self-inquiry guide that blends psychology, ethics, and practical philosophy. It takes place during a crisis. One person is overwhelmed by fear, doubt, and moral confusion. The other doesn’t judge or command; he listens, questions, and offers perspective. The setting happens to be a battlefield, but the struggle is deeply internal.

Today’s quote is my favourite from the epic. When I used to work full-time, I always had this verse pinned to my desk. This verse is the heartbeat of the Gita’s philosophy of purposeful living. Krishna isn’t telling Arjuna, or us, to stop caring about life. He’s telling us to stop clinging to outcomes we can’t control. When we obsess over results, fear creeps in. Fear of failure, fear of judgment, fear of not being good enough. That fear doesn’t produce excellence; it produces hesitation. By shifting attention from “What will I get from this?” to “How can I show up fully for this?” we step into our real power. We work with clarity instead of anxiety. We move with intention instead of desperation. When you detach from results, you aren’t becoming aloof; you’re becoming free. Free to experiment, free to fail, free to evolve. And ironically, people who operate this way often produce better outcomes because their minds aren’t hijacked by worry. The deeper message? Life is a partnership. You are responsible for the effort. Life handles the rest. Your job is to sow, water, and nourish. Whether the seed blossoms today or ten seasons later is not your burden to hold.

And I haven’t forgotten my weekly motivation. This week, it’s about hopes and relief. Even in the smallest of things, you can find relief from life’s struggles. Stop obsessing over what you’re going through. You don’t have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. Slowly work through that sense of vulnerability you’re feeling right now. You’ve managed to overcome harrowing moments with a lot of grace. You navigated the dark days with a smile on your face, even though you were on the verge of tears. Take things moment by moment. Let a sense of joy and hope enter your heart.

That’s all I have for you this week. Here’s to a fantastic, fun and amazing 2026!