NWV Brief #13: riding the wave into the new year

Dear Founder,

Life seems to unfold in waves, doesn’t it? 

Some calm and smooth. Some rough and chaotic. 

As the new year approaches, a new wave builds on the horizon—a wave of possibility, uncertainty, and everything in between. The ocean has always been vast, its forces beyond our control. But the power to choose how we ride? That’s ours alone.

Some waves are personal and uniquely timed—the decision to start a business, the uncertainty of a move, the wonder (and worry) of becoming a parent. Others are collective, sweeping across our shared lives—like a market shift, a global crisis, or the beginning of a new calendar year. 

What these waves share is their inevitability. And in that inevitability lies their gift: the chance to meet the unknown with intention.

This year, I’m choosing to meet the tide with purpose. My focus? The only thing I can truly control—my actions. Because actions shape habits, habits forge character, and character defines the life we live.

Here’s how I plan to anchor myself as I ride this new wave into the new year:

• Meditate daily—to find stillness amidst the noise.

• Move daily—to keep energy and purpose flowing.

• Read 52 new books—to nurture curiosity and growth.

• Disconnect from screens before bed—to reclaim quiet.

• Create 10 works of art—to reconnect with the joy of making.

• Learn something new—because becoming is never finished.

• Set aside time weekly for reflection—to align with the life I envision.

The intention? To cultivate a life that feels whole—wholesome habits, wholesome people, wholesome purpose.

As founders, we often navigate uncharted waters. The choices we make, the fundamentals we hold onto, and the vision we set shape the destination we reach a year from now.

So, as this wave rises to meet you, I ask: how will you choose to ride?

With purpose, vision, & appreciation,