Pilot: The One About Starting

I saw a TikTok where a girl showed herself titling her journal entries like Friends episodes. The season would be whatever month it was — for example, May would be Season 5. It sparked an idea that I should do that for myself. Push myself to journal more and make it feel special.

As I wrote this idea down in my journal, titling it “Pilot,” I got the idea that I should turn these into blog posts. Maybe keep the more personal stuff in my journal and then give a nice recap on my blog. I’ve been wanting to write more but just never knew what — or, quite frankly, I was too lazy or tired.

I recently realized I take simple things a bit too seriously, like my page. It should just be fun and creative. For me, though, anything I do feels like I need to put all my energy into it to make it look good. I need to lighten up. So doing this will allow me to post more content and lighten up. Win-win.

Since it had been a while since writing in my journal, I wanted to list the good changes that happened this year:

• I got my license

• I got an additional in-person job at the place I wanted

• Went on a date and it sucked

• Met up with a friend and watched Dancing with the Stars with her and another friend every Tuesday

• Rebranded my page

• Started attending Catholic Mass weekly again

• Started reading my Bible more

• Started being less harsh on myself

When looking over all I’ve done to branch out of my comfort zone, I really am proud. Were some prayers and goals not yet accomplished? Yeah. But honestly, my big one was my license — so 2025 was the year. WOOHOO!

As I went through the list, I zoned in on the word “started.” A word I would’ve easily looked over until now. It really is such a powerful word. People start something in order to finish it — like a marathon. Life really is like one. You start training; maybe that training looks like cutting off bad habits or preparing for the new blessing you want. You technically finish training and then get to the start line to put that training to use.

Maybe something you were “training” for was waking up early. You get yourself into the habit, and then the “race,” per se, is being given a day or test where you could sleep in — but you still choose to get up early. In races, a big lesson is pacing ourselves. So I think when starting something, we shouldn’t focus so much on the end result, but on how we can pace ourselves along the way.

I’m not a big New Year’s person. Every day can be a new year. Maybe a random day in May isn’t random to you because that’s when you decided to stop allowing bad habits to consume you and you started a new way. But we can’t get to where we want to be without starting.

Of course, there are some things we have to wait for in God’s timing. But within that timing, we train. We take the lessons, the challenges, the tears — and we learn. Learn and apply, so we can become better and be better for the blessings we’re waiting for. Each day, you get closer to that goal; you just don’t know it yet.

So I’m excited to start this new idea. Maybe take this as a moment to think about what you want to start, too. Don’t focus on the finish line — think about the pace. When you begin, how do you want to pace yourself in a way that allows for both growth and fun? Allow yourself an open mind for a new direction and the lessons that come with it.

xoxo