Hello my beautiful friends,
Life Update: A New Season for My Family
This is a new season for my family and me. My mom is gone, and we are learning how to live with a new normal.
Grief changes you. It rearranges your world. And yet, in the middle of this deep loss, I am so grateful for the Catholic foundation my parents gave me and that I passed on to my son. The belief in heaven, in a better place, and in being reunited again someday gives me real comfort. It gives our family peace as we walk through this season together.
So Mom, I know you’re up there with family and friends, laughing, watching over us. I promise to make you proud. Thank you for being the best mom and the best grandma.
This past week I went back to work after being off for about eight days. I finally put away the Christmas décor, started planning a summer vacation with my son, and booked a few important life appointments. We’re deciding between another trip to Charleston or a 10-day East Coast road trip from Connecticut to Maine.
I also had my life coaching appointment, a dental cleaning, and I’m currently shopping for a new vanity for my bedroom. A fresh start deserves a fresh setup.
Perimenopause & Brain Fog: My New Normal
One perimenopause symptom I’ve been dealing with for the last 9 to 12 months is brain fog.
If you’re in this season too, you know exactly what I mean. I’ve become more forgetful. I have to write everything down. I rely on calendar reminders, phone alerts, planners, post-its, and index cards. My son reminds me of things constantly.
I’ve learned that this happens because estrogen plays a major role in brain function, memory, mood, and cognitive processing. As estrogen declines, our brains feel it. For a type-A woman like me, this has been a big adjustment. I haven’t felt like myself this past year.
So here’s how I’m navigating it.
First, I have an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Women’s Health Center in early February to be evaluated for HRT. We’ll see if I’m a candidate.
Second, I asked for help and stopped pretending I could power through. I no longer wing it. I accept support systems.
Third, I stopped multitasking. Multitasking destroys focus and memory. I now do one thing at a time and finish it before moving on.
Fourth, I got extremely organized. I now use:
- A daily life planner
- A content planner
- A wellness planner
- A learning curriculum planner
I even have a bag that holds all my planners, notebooks, journals, pens, and highlighters. I reorganized my pantry, storage containers, cleaning supplies, closet, drawers, and morning routines. Next week I’ll reorganize my evening routine for 2026, and in February I’m getting a new vanity and reorganizing all my makeup and hair tools.
Finally, I use memory tricks. If someone introduces themselves as Simon, I picture the game “Simon Says” and attach that image to their face. Little mental images like that help lock information into my memory.
If you’re experiencing this too, I want you to know you are not alone. This is our new normal and we can navigate it with grace, tools, and self-compassion.
Why I Stretch Every Morning for Longevity
Every morning between 4 and 6am, I stretch and bend for at least 15 minutes. This habit is completely underrated.
It keeps my joints, bones, muscles, and body flexible and strong. I feel less stiff, more limber, more mobile, and more energized. It helps release mental, emotional, and physical stress and prevents training injuries.
My go-to moves include:
- Arm swings
- Reach for the sky
- Touching my toes
- Calf raises
- Side-to-side lunges
When I finish, I feel awake, alive, and ready to move. I genuinely feel younger.
I use the Bend app and highly recommend it, especially if you’re just getting started. Try stretching first thing in the morning before your day takes over. Your body and mind will thank you.
Beauty Finds I’m Loving Right Now
I recently bought a new SPF that I am completely obsessed with.
Coola Firming Face Oil SPF 30
It’s organic, lightweight, and deeply hydrating. It contains Bakuchiol, Vitamins C, D, and E, Sea Buckthorn, and Moringa Oils. It firms and smooths my skin and gives the most beautiful glow. I purchased it on Amazon and plan to try their body oil mist when the weather warms up.
Another favorite is the Olaplex Weightless Nourishing Mask.
This cuticle-sealing mask hydrates, boosts volume, and leaves my hair feeling incredible. Also purchased on Amazon and absolutely worth it.
Personal Image, Presence, and Presentation
This year I’m intentionally upgrading my personal image. How we carry ourselves matters. First impressions matter. Self-respect matters.
I’m investing in:
Even here online, I’m showing up more polished. Wearing the makeup. Wearing the outfit. Presenting myself with intention.
When you respect yourself, people feel it. When you carry yourself with confidence, the world responds differently.
Thank you for being part of my life, my journey, and this community. We are growing, evolving, and glowing up together in every season.
Until next time,
Stay strong, stay soft, stay glowing.
Visit my newly updated website + blog — everything has been refreshed for 2026:
www.JaxStys.com
Visit and Subscribe to my free Instagram Channel for daily bites of the weekly curriculum I am studying every week. This week I will be studying and sharing the following:
• Book: I Will Teach You to Be Rich — Ramit Sethi
• Podcast: IWTYTBR — Ep 238 “We Make $208,000 But Are Drowning in Credit Card Debt”
• YouTube: “How To Start Building Wealth, Even When You’re Broke” — The Financial Diet
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