It’s been a little over a week since I wrapped up the Year of Creativity and started the Year of Health, so I wanted to do a quick check-in on how it’s going. After this point, I’m going to keep these updates to a maximum of once a month—unless something genuinely important comes up that feels worth writing about. I want this year to be lived more than narrated.
A friend told me the first week is often the hardest part of any new project or goal. Not because it’s the most dramatic, but because it’s the week where your old patterns are still loud and persuasive, and your new ones haven’t built any momentum yet. You’re doing the thing without much proof that it’s working. You’re showing up mostly on faith. So if you’re trying to change something right now—anything—I wanted to offer a little encouragement from inside the early days: change can happen. It can start small and still be real.
The main structure I’ve been using is an app I built with Codex—an RPG called Dad Quest—and I’m genuinely loving it. Each day I log what I ate, how I slept, my mood, and what I did for activity. I’m not getting overly granular and I’m not holding myself to any extreme standards. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s awareness. The whole point is to be conscious of the decisions I’m making and to build a habit of checking in with myself instead of running everything on autopilot.
And it turns out that awareness alone is pretty powerful. Just the act of tracking makes my brain want to do better—not in a shamey way, but in a “hey, let’s take care of ourselves” way. It shifts the vibe from punishment to participation.
On the movement side, I’ve been taking walks, getting outside more, and generally forcing myself out of my office/studio cave. I’ve also been playing pickleball, which I’d never done before, and I have to say: I’m kind of amazed how good I am at games even while being out of shape. It’s both validating and annoying. Like… why can’t I be naturally talented at cardio? (lol) Still, it’s felt great to move. Not heroic. Not cinematic. Just good. Like my body is remembering what it’s for.
Food-wise, I haven’t set a calorie max per day and I’m not doing anything rigid. My only real “rule” has been taking a moment before I eat to check in with my brain: How am I feeling? Why am I eating? What do I actually need right now? That tiny pause has done more than I expected. Without forcing it, that awareness has kept my calorie intake in the 1500–1800 range most days. Not because I’m trying to win anything—just because I’m more conscious and I’m making slightly better decisions one choice at a time.
As for measurable results, 2.5% weight loss in week one is the only hard data point I have. And yes, I know week one can be a little honeymoon phase, so I’m not declaring victory or buying new pants yet. But I am proud. The snowball is rolling, and for once I’m not standing at the top of the hill debating whether I deserve to start.
If you’re reading this and you’re in your own “week one” of something—health, art, sobriety, a project, a boundary, a new habit—just know this: week one counts. Even if it’s clumsy. Even if it’s quiet. Even if nobody claps. Momentum doesn’t usually arrive with fireworks. It shows up wearing sweatpants and asking you to do the next small thing.
And that’s enough.