April Goals & Intentions

This essay appeared in the Monday morning newsletter on 4/6/26. Subscribe here! 

Three Steps to a Happier Monday

Before we dive into a new week, let’s pause and ask ourselves some simple questions to reflect on where we’ve been, get excited about something today and set an intention for the week ahead.

GRATITUDE: What are three things I appreciated from the weekend? 

TODAY: What’s one thing I can be excited about today?

INTENTION: What is my intention for this week? 

For me, I’m thankful for a relaxing Saturday with Ben and Matt, a fun Easter celebration and a clean house. Today, I’m most excited to have some quiet time this morning. And my intention for the week is to focus on nourishment. 

Okay, your turn! And if you want to share, I am all ears. 🙂

Monday Musings: April Goals and Intentions

Happy April!

I hope you had a wonderful weekend celebrating Easter, Passover or anything else meaningful to you! Here in Indianapolis, it’s been an especially exciting weekend with the Men’s NCAA Final Four in town. Keep reading for a little cameo from Matt on how we joined in on the fun with Ben!

This time of year isn’t usually my favorite. Often, I’m just wishing it were summer already. But this year, I’m noticing something different.

Every morning, I feel surprised (and a bit giddy) to see something new – a plant popping up in the yard, a tree starting to bloom. Even the rain, while a bit dreary, makes everything look more saturated and alive.

In April, I always think about this quote from Ingrid Fetell Lee’s book Joyful:

“Spring restores our consciousness of time and, even more so, of possibility. The thawing of the hard earth, the flowing of sap, the bursting open of millions of buds: as the slow land quickens, we feel the energy of new beginnings around us, and our attention turns to the future.”

Spring really is an in-between time – a time to just be. When I think about the summer, fall and the holiday season (times of year I love), I think about all the fun and joy they bring… but also the work behind that.

Spring feels different. It offers this simple gift of surprise and delight. And all I have to do is open a window or step outside to enjoy it.

So this month, I’m appreciating this in-between season. I’m excited for what’s coming, but I’m also happy to stay right here.

Big things happening in April: 

• My birthday! I turn 32 this month. 
• My parents arriving in Indianapolis. They’ve rented a place nearby and will be helping with childcare before Ben starts daycare. I’ve never lived in the same city as my parents as an adult, and I’m really looking forward to this stretch of time together.
• Ben’s baptism. We’re excited to get Ben baptized and spend time with family! 

April goals & intentions

• Celebrate my birthday! I love my birthday. I’m looking forward to kicking off the celebrations with dinner with Matt, then enjoying the day with Ben and running a few of my favorite errands.
• Enjoy this season with my parents. I’m especially excited for the everyday moments!
• Try to eat a variety of plants each week. Somewhere,I recently heard the recommendation to eat 30 different types of plants (fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes). It struck me because I definitely do not do that! I’m such a creature of habit with what I eat. But it feels like no better time than spring to focus on nourishment. With the weather warming up, I want to bring back smoothies for breakfast, which is an easy way to incorporate a variety of fruits and vegetables.
• Stick with my rhythms, including a Sunday calendaring session with Matt and a simple weeknight reset. Now that we’re taking Ben somewhere each workday, these feel especially important.

And now… a little Final Four Fun (from Matt!)

As Indianapolis buzzed with the excitement of the Men’s Final Four this weekend, we celebrated our own champion – Ben turning six months.

In honor of the tournament, we staged a playful bracket to rank his favorite new foods:

Sweet Potatoes vs. Peaches (with Sweet Potatoes advancing) and Pears vs. Bananas (with Bananas moving on).

In the tasty final, Sweet Potatoes beat Bananas to take the crown.

Hope your April is full of simple joys – the kind that show up in blooming flowers, open windows and little moments of fun (like a playful bracket) along the way!