How to Stop Ignoring the Signs and Start Feeling Better Now
Why waiting until January keeps us stuck—and how a simple reset can help us end the year on an upswing.
Have you ever stubbornly ignored your GPS, convinced you knew the way, only to end up frustrated, lost, or late? That’s not only a driving story. It’s life. Our inner guidance system—the body, the whispers, the restless nudges—works exactly the same way. And October has me asking: what happens when we finally stop fighting it and start listening?
When the GPS Knows Better
Years ago, my daughter was home from college and asked my husband and I to drive her and some friends to a basketball game. She told us it was San Diego State playing, so we pictured that arena and hit the road. She gave us the address, and we plugged it into the Tahoe’s GPS.
We started heading the way we thought we should go, but the GPS kept telling us to take the 5 freeway. My husband brushed it off, insisting his route made more sense. The GPS, however, wouldn’t let up—it kept rerouting us back toward the 5.
After a lot of frustration (and a couple of phone calls), we finally realized the truth: she wasn’t going to SDSU at all—she was meeting her friends at USD. Suddenly, the GPS directions made perfect sense. But up until that moment, we were convinced we knew better and kept fighting it.
Isn’t that what happens when we ignore our inner GPS?
Listening to the Whisper
This year, 2025, has been one long reminder that my own guidance system has been alerting me, rerouting me toward something different. Grief, stress, and even the rollercoaster of my health habits have left me both strong at times and flat-out exhausted at others. And every ache, every restless night, every feeling of heaviness has been my body’s way of saying: “You’re off course. Tune back in.”
Our inner GPS isn’t loud and doesn’t shout. It whispers in subtle ways. A stiff neck, tight shoulders, anxious thoughts, a dull ache that shows up time and time again.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) even teaches that the body tells its story this way: the left side holding emotional weight, the right side showing up in our actions. It fascinates me how intelligent our bodies are—always talking, even when our minds try to ignore them.
When one side of the body hurts, it may not only be a result of your workout; it could also be old emotions or family energy surfacing, asking to be acknowledged and felt. Louise Hay (You Can Heal Your Life) wrote about how unresolved emotions often land in specific body parts: shoulders carry burdens, hips carrying fear of moving forward, and the heart carrying grief.
On the 1st, I had my “enough is enough” moment. I realized I can’t keep muscling past these whispers, pretending I don’t hear them. My body has been rerouting me all year, and it’s time to finally listen.
Resetting My Frequency: 5 to Thrive
In 2019, I joined Rachel Hollis’ Last 90 Days “5 to Thrive” Challenge. Her pitch was simple but powerful:
“21 days to create a habit, 90 days to change your life. What if you committed to living your last 90 days of the year as intentionally as you live the first 30 days of the new year? What if instead of a downhill slide into December, you ramped up?”
Rachel’s daily challenge had a bigger impact on me than I expected. Waking up an hour earlier than anyone else, gratitude journaling, meditating, and carving out time just for me gave me the balance I’d been craving. I felt less rushed, more grounded, and more energized throughout the day.
This year feels like the perfect time to rechallenge myself. October through December can be a whirlwind of holiday parties, family gatherings, and endless to-do lists. It’s so easy to let healthy habits slide until January 1st. We tell ourselves we’ll “get back on track” in the new year, but what if we flipped the script?
What if, instead of waiting, we started now and built momentum before the holidays kicked in? Instead of feeling awful and desperate for a reset in January, we could already be starting the new year on an upswing. Imagine how different that would feel.
That’s why this year, I’ve created my own daily 5 to Thrive—a personal reset for my desired energy frequency:
Movement that sparks joy — workout at least 30 minutes a day. A tennis match, a run, a stationary bike ride, or an exercise video. Something that gets my energy moving and me sweating.
Hydration — more water with minerals, less coffee—and yes, my coffee habit is rolling its eyes. Drink half my body weight in ounces of water.
Yoga Nidra — a nervous system reset. Even a short 10-minute session can work its magic. (I wrote more about the benefits in this article—read it here.)
Sleep — in bed by 10, aiming for 7 hours to honor the rest my body is begging me for.
Green smoothies — lemon and ginger hide the greens, and my cells soak up the nourishment. A Kimberly Snyder’s glowing smoothie in the morning. (Want a quick recipe? I wrote a full article about green smoothies and how they help kickstart your energy—read it here.)
These habits aren’t about perfection; they’re giving me a head start. Choosing practices that help me remember who I am at my best, even in the busiest season of the year.
What’s Yours?
Here’s where I’ll turn the question back to you: what would your “5 to Thrive” look like?
Maybe it’s starting a journaling practice, going for a walk after dinner, calling your best friend instead of scrolling, or finally letting yourself rest. It can be as practical as water and sleep or grounding as laughter and mindfulness.
The possibilities are endless, and you can make it your own. Listen to your body and what it’s telling you. Honor your inner GPS when it whispers and nudges you to get back on course.
Flowing Forward
We can’t control life’s ups and downs. Grief, uncertainty, and unpredictability are part of the road trip. But we can listen better, reset when we drift off course, and choose the energy we carry forward.
Let’s all walk into the new year aligned, alive, and in a state of flow. Your happy, healthy future self will thank you in 2026.
….. until next time many many sweet blessings.
Love + Wellness to You!
Lynn