We’re starting a new year—full of promise and potential, but also certain to bring its share of challenges. In times like these, it’s more important than ever to take care of ourselves and each other, to strengthen our resilience and ensure we’re equipped to face what lies ahead. This commitment to care—for ourselves and those around us—reminded me of a recent experience with (of all things) my car’s tire pressure warning light.
For weeks, the light had been telling me something was wrong. Each time, I would stop, add air, and be on my way. The light would turn off temporarily, but the problem kept returning. Finally, a few weeks ago as I prepared for a New Year’s trip to meet my family in the Black Hills in South Dakota, the light came on again. In an attempt to be prudent, I stopped along the way to add more air before heading into rural areas.
At the gas station, I tried to add air to the tire, but instead of inflating, it started losing even more air. Two kind strangers stopped to help, but the more we tried, the problem actually got worse, and the flatter the tire became. Within minutes, I was stranded outside a Casey’s in Mountain Lake with a completely flat tire.
Thankfully, a skilled gentleman came to my rescue, swapping out my flat for the spare in less than five minutes That allowed me to drive to Worthington, where the Walmart Auto Center could take a closer look. After a brief inspection, the technician came back and said, “You’ve got a nail in your tire.”
A nail! That’s why the tire wouldn’t hold air. I’d been driving for months with a slow leak, unknowingly patching things up just enough to get by, without ever addressing the root of the problem.
As I sat in the waiting room, absentmindedly watching Rick Steves give a tour of Vatican City on the tiny television screen, it hit me: How often do we live our lives this way? How often do we hastily fix symptoms of our stress without addressing the source? Like my tire, many of us drive through life with slow leaks—stressors that drain us bit by bit.
This reflection brought to mind an article my sister Leslie and I read years ago for a Psych 101 class: “Fight the Frazzled Mind” by Robert Epstein. The article highlights a simple yet profound truth: the most effective way to manage stress isn’t just self-care (though that’s certainly important)—it’s eliminating the stressors themselves.
Epstein emphasizes four skills for managing stress:
Of these, prevention and source management are by far the most powerful. Taking deep breaths or trying to “see the positive” when life feels overwhelming can only go so far—especially when you’re staring at an endless to-do list, your breath quickening as you wonder, “How will I ever get it all done?” The truth is, you probably can’t. (For a deeper dive into this reality, I highly recommend Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman.) Instead, we need to identify the "nails" in our lives and remove them before they cause a flat tire.
This year, with this insight in mind, I’m adjusting my focus. While self-care remains critical—like using my new blender (thank you, Mom and Dad!) to whip up healthy smoothies, and taking the time to stay strong through exercise—I also want to prioritize identifying and removing stressors in my life. That won't always be easy or comfortable -- it might mean saying "no" to projects that don’t align with my goals, delegating tasks, or setting boundaries to protect my time.
But I hope to face these challenges head-on, not with quick fixes but with meaningful solutions. By doing so, I aim to be a better artist, business owner, and, most importantly, a better daughter, sister, aunt, and all the other roles I need to be to show up for the people I care about in the best way possible—fully inflated and ready for new adventures.
As you embark on this new year, I encourage you to pause and reflect. What nails might be hiding in your tires? What stressors could you eliminate to make room for the things that truly matter?
Let’s commit together to a year of proactive stress management, mindful choices, and intentional living. Here’s to a 2025 that’s not just productive, but truly fulfilling!