What motivates you?

Seriously—For most of my life, I was the rise & shine, go-getter kind of girl. You know the type—up before the alarm, coffee in hand, already halfway through a to-do list before most folks even rolled out of bed. Motivation wasn’t something I had to search for—it was just…me.

But then life, in its sneaky way, threw a few curveballs. First came what I like to call mentalpause (menopause, but with a heavy dose of mental chaos). Add in Covid and my multiple sclerosis, and suddenly the girl who used to wake up ready to conquer the world was more like, “Eh, let’s see what happens after this nap.”

Now, don’t get me wrong. The go-getter is still in there, but she’s pacing herself differently these days. Motivation doesn’t show up with a marching band anymore—it’s quieter, slower, sometimes harder to recognize. Some days, it’s simply getting out of bed, feeding the dogs, and calling that a win. Other days, it’s showing up for my clients, my family, or myself when I’d rather just pull the covers over my head.

The truth is, motivation shifts with seasons. What once looked like big goals and relentless energy now looks like small victories and choosing joy wherever I can find it. It’s not less—it’s just different.

And maybe that’s the biggest lesson: sometimes motivation isn’t about sprinting toward the next big thing. Sometimes it’s about honoring where you are, taking a breath, and reminding yourself that even in the blah seasons, you’re still moving forward.

XOXO, Jani