I'm running a wellness challenge. My first one. And it's got me buzzing.

I've been wanting to do this for a while. I've had a couple of false starts, learned from those, and tried again. I knew I would eventually crack the code. And now I'm in it.

In the lead-up, I kept using my own advice: when you notice that nervous feeling, try calling it excitement instead. They feel almost identical in your body. The racing heart, the heightened attention. The only difference is the story you tell yourself about it.

Then the first session happened. Has it gone smoothly? NO. But I'm learning along the way, trying to give myself some grace, reminding myself that messy is part of the process. It's equal parts humbling, frustrating and exhilarating.

When was the last time you let yourself be bad at something?

We spend so much of our lives in the safety of what we already know how to do. Especially the stuff we’ve mastered.

But that means we rarely step into beginner territory. It's uncomfortable. The unknown, the vulnerability of not knowing what you're doing.

There's this unspoken pressure to be good at things right away. To skip the awkward, messy, figuring-it-out phase. But that messy part? That's where the magic is. Every stumble teaches you how to get better or shows you it's not for you. Both are wins.

You don't have to be good at something to benefit from doing it. You just have to try.

I'm making bibimbap this week. Never made it before.

I've been watching Culinary Class Wars (a Korean cooking competition show) and it's made me want to try Korean cooking at home. New ingredients, new flavours, a completely different approach than my usual rotation. I'm even serving it to guests.😬

That's what I love about trying a new recipe. You get to experiment and apply what you already know from other cooking experiences to create something new.

I'll share this one if I get it right. For now, I'm just excited to experiment.

If you want something fresh but foolproof: My crispy rice salad is still your most-clicked recipe. Crunchy, satisfying, and comes together fast.

When motivation is low, the answer isn't to force yourself through a workout you're dreading. It's to find movement that actually feels good.

I joined a new yoga group this month. New faces, new instructor, completely unfamiliar. None of it feels comfortable yet. That's kind of the point. Sometimes a completely different energy is all it takes to shake off the January fog.

Try an indoor class you haven't done before: Pilates, boxing, barre, spin, or a new style of yoga. You don't have to commit to anything. Just try one and see how it feels.

You might have heard this past Monday called "Blue Monday," - the most depressing day of the year. It was actually invented by a travel company to sell winter holidays. Not exactly science.

Here’s what is real: January can be hard. The post-holiday crash. The return to routines. The credit card bills. If you're feeling like you're running on empty right now, you're not alone.

Reduced sunlight affects your serotonin levels, which directly impacts your mood and motivation. It's not laziness. It's biology.

One thing that helps: Get some natural light in the morning, even for 10-15 minutes. Open the blinds as soon as you wake up, a short walk, even standing by a window helps. Natural light in the first hour after waking helps regulate your body's internal clock and gives your serotonin a boost.

Remember: January won't last forever. And you don't have to have it figured out to get through it.

Here's to trying something new.

Steph