You Don’t Have to Burn It All Down
My word for this year is steward.
And it has been teaching me… in my kitchen.
I’ve been slowly clearing out random condiments in the fridge. Using up scraps. Turning leftover tater tots into something new. Figuring out what to do with an accidentally large batch of biscuits.
No Google.
No fancy AI recipe.
No outside input.
Just me.
Standing in front of what I already have.
Asking:
What goes together?
What seasoning would bring this to life?
What can I build from this?
And somewhere between the fridge door and the spice rack, I realized…
This is how most women approach their lives.
They look at what’s on hand… the roles, the responsibilities, the half-finished dreams, the skills that feel “random,” the gifts that don’t fit neatly together… and they assume:
This isn’t the right starting point.
I need something different.
Maybe I need to burn it all down and start over.
But what if you don’t?
What if nothing in your life is wasted?
The Leftovers Are Not a Mistake
There’s always something left over.
A single serving that didn’t get eaten.
One piece of the meal sitting there.
Something that feels disconnected from the rest.
And the temptation is to define it by what it used to be.
“This is just a side dish.”
“That was just a season.”
“That skill doesn’t really matter.”
“That dream was from before kids.”
But when I stop getting attached to the “typical use” of something or the box it came in, I can create something entirely new.
That leftover biscuit becomes a breakfast bake.
Those tater tots become a base for something layered and intentional.
The random condiment becomes the thing that makes the whole dish shine.
You don’t need a new pantry.
You may just need new eyes.
Planning From Identity (Not Escape)
When I talk about planning from identity, I’m not talking about slapping a label on yourself.
I’m talking about:
Who you are at your core.
What comes naturally to you.
What feels aligned and life-giving.
What you already carry.
In my coaching, we always start with what I call the low-hanging fruit.
What’s working well?
What feels steady?
What do you already have on hand?
Not: “What should you be doing?”
Not: “What does everyone else say is the right move?”
Not: “What would look impressive?”
But: What is true?
Because when you plan from identity instead of comparison…
When you build from stewardship instead of escape…
You stop trying to burn your life down.
You start refining it.
You Don’t Have to Burn It All Down to Obey the Vision
I see this so often with women who carry a God-given vision.
They feel the nudge.
They feel the stirring.
They feel the “more.”
And instead of asking, How can I steward what’s already here? they jump to:
“I need a new job.”
“I need a total rebrand.”
“I need to start over.”
“I need to quit everything.”
Sometimes change is necessary.
But often, the first step toward your vision is not demolition. It’s stewardship.
It’s looking at your current life and asking:
What in this season is actually supporting my growth?
What skills have I built that I’m underestimating?
What relationships are part of the foundation?
What rhythms already work?
Because when you steward what you have…
You are given more.
And that abundance doesn’t just show up as money or opportunity.
It shows up as clarity. Confidence. Alignment. Peace.
The Seasonings Matter
Once we name what’s already working, then we ask:
What needs to be sprinkled in?
A boundary?
A conversation?
A new habit?
A small, consistent action toward your vision?
You don’t need a five-alarm fire.
You need a pinch of salt.
A steady heat.
A willingness to combine what feels random and trust that it can become something whole.
That is identity-based planning.
It is calm.
It is grounded.
It is sustainable.
And it honors the fact that your life, chaos and all, is not a mistake.
From Stewardship to Abundance
Here’s what I’ve noticed in my kitchen:
When I use things up creatively…
When I stop wasting…
When I combine what’s on hand…
I often end up with more than I expected.
More flavor.
More servings.
More satisfaction.
The same thing happens in life.
When you steward your gifts…
When you stop disqualifying parts of your story…
When you build from identity instead of insecurity…
You find yourself in abundance.
And that’s where the fun starts.
That’s where you can give yourself away.
That’s where you become a gift.
That’s where your vision extends outward in love and service.
So Let Me Ask You
When it comes to your life right now…
Are you planning from identity?
Or are you planning from lack?
Are you trying to cook from someone else’s recipe?
Or are you willing to look at what’s already on your counter and say,
“This is enough to begin.”
If you’re feeling like you have a lot of “ingredients” but no clear direction…
If you sense a God-given vision but don’t want to torch your whole life to pursue it…
If you’re ready to build steadily, intentionally, and aligned…
Let’s do an Identity Check-In.
In that call, we will:
• Name what’s already in your pantry
• Identify what’s working (even if it feels small)
• Clarify your seasonings
• And map your next right step
No burning it down.
No dramatic overhaul.
Just stewardship.
Just clarity.
Just forward movement rooted in who you are.
You can book your Identity Check-In HERE
You don’t need a new life.
You need to steward the one you have and build from identity.
With you in all of it.
