I didn’t expect to feel stuck in April.
The weather couldn’t be better. There is so much newness and activity this month, personally and professionally.
If anything, this month should feel like progress.
But for me – and for a lot of the leaders I’m talking to right now – it doesn’t.
And here’s what’s interesting:
April actually used to be the new year.
Many years ago, under the Julian calendar, the year reset on April 1. It followed the rhythm of the seasons: hibernation, then renewal.
A natural restart.
When the world shifted from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian one (which we follow now), not everyone got the memo.
Some people kept celebrating the new year on April 1….
And just like that – April Fools was born.
But honestly? That original rhythm still resonates with me.
Which is why feeling stuck right now, as we begin Q2, can be disorienting.
You’re not supposed to feel behind in April.
And yet, I do. What about you?
I’ve been reflecting and this is what I’m seeing:
We hit the start of the year with clarity, goals, intention.
And then, life happens. There are unexpected challenges, loss, travel, shifting priorities.
By the time April rolls around, maybe we’re not where we thought we’d be.
Life doesn’t wait for your plans to be convenient – and it never will.
So the question is… what do we do about it?
When we aren’t tracking with our goals, we don’t need a new plan, we need a way back to the one we already chose.
It’s the main topic of our April groups:
How do I ensure I’m making progress in the things I said mattered this year?
Because when life gets messy, goals fall apart.
And when that happens, we need something to return to.
Here’s the blueprint I’m following:
1. Reconnect: asking and answering, what actually matters right now?
2. Identify: what specifically pulled me off track?
3. Return: what are the levers I know that can that bring me back?
Here are mine:
Time with God. It helps me reset and reminds me how I want to show up in the world. I’m currently loving the Hallow app – something I can listen to and journal with.
Movement. Walking is medicine to me, especially in a season like spring. I’ve also started lifting heavier over the last 6 months. Longevity matters. I want to be strong for the life I’m living. And tennis – the sport, the competition – it makes me feel like a kid again.
Community. I’m not always intentional here, and the need is big. When life is as full as it is, you can’t expect things to simply “happen.” You need a system. One of our coaches reaches out to their five most important friends on one day each week. I’m inspired by that intentionality.
Learning. I love reading new things and being around people who are pursuing interesting lives. It feeds my soul.
What are your levers?
What might be so obvious that it’s fallen off your routine – and just needs to be named to come back?
Over the last four years, I’ve had enough life circumstances and loss to force reflection.
We can’t not do it.
I don’t want the regrets that come with avoiding it.
So, what if we planned for the curveballs that inevitably come? What if we even expected them?
So when the trajectory of our path subtly shifts – we have a blueprint for how to pivot.
Here are a few things putting me back on track this month. I hope they inspire you to do the same.
BOOK:
As a point of connection and understanding, I’m currently reading several of the books Grace is reading.
Having just turned 13, you can only imagine what she wants to read vs what actually makes sense. As parents, how do we know? It’s a tough call when you’d love to trust the system and you simply can’t preview every input they want to take in.
But when you can, you do.
PODCAST:
Over the last year, I’ve been called up by the writings and perspectives of Sahil Bloom, author of The 5 Types of Wealth.
Tim Cook called this book “a powerful call to action to think deeply about what lights you up—and a guide for how to build a life around those things.”
Bloom is thought provoking, disruptive and transparent. He has a different definition of success from the world and we need more high achieving models like him.
This episode is a great reset. Short, simple, and worth your time.
QUOTE:
I love the old adage, “I went out to find a friend and could not find one there. So I went out to be a friend, and friends were everywhere.”
Great leadership – personally and professionally – is about being interested in others.
Being interesting is about us. Being interested is about them.
The practice actually takes the burden off the performance. Try it in your next conversation.
Cheers to a great reset this month! No matter what season you find yourself in.