Hey friends — Happy New Year! January is a mindset, not just a month. Around here, we call it Glow Up Season—and no, that doesn’t mean buying a bunch of new stuff or pretending to be a different person. It’s about re-centering, reclaiming your time, and giving yourself structure that feels supportive, not suffocating.

As a Deaf woman, mom, and CEO, routines are more than just nice—they’re necessary. They keep me grounded through work, family, and advocacy. But here’s the secret: I don’t chase perfection. I build simple, repeatable habits that I actually like. That’s the difference between falling off after two weeks and still showing up in June.

Glow Up Season: My January Wellness Routine as a Deaf CEO

Want a head start? I put together a free printable toolkit that includes:

A minimalist habit tracker
ASL graphics to reinforce daily affirmations
A weekly wellness planner designed for visual thinkers

👉 Download the FREE January Wellness Toolkit here

Why January Isn’t Too Late
My Core Wellness Habits (With Visual-Friendly Tips)
Avoiding Overwhelm as a CEO (and Human)
How These Habits Uplift the Deaf Community
Let’s Talk Long-Term Consistency
Your January Wellness Toolkit (Reminder!)
Email Signup Bonus: What Happens After You Download

1. Why January Isn’t Too Late

Let’s get this out of the way: starting late doesn’t mean starting wrong. Social media will have you thinking everyone reset their life on January 1st. Most of us didn’t. And that’s okay.

Here’s what I tell my team and myself:
💬 “A late start is still a start. Showing up in January, March, or July—that’s what matters.”

So if your 2025 goals are still swimming around in your head and haven’t made it to paper yet, you’re not behind—you’re just warming up.

2. My Core Wellness Habits (With Visual-Friendly Tips)

Here’s what I’m prioritizing this season—nothing extreme, just grounded routines that build resilience and joy.

🌿 1. Morning Stillness (No Phone Zone)

Every morning, I give myself 15–20 minutes of quiet time. No emails, no scrolling, no captions. Just me, some tea, and stillness. As a Deaf person, silence isn’t scary—it’s sacred.

How I make it work:

I use visual timers (like Time Timer)
I light a candle to signal the start of “still time”
I write one line in my journal: What do I want to feel today?

💧 2. Water + Movement First

My rule: hydrate and move before work begins. Not to burn calories—to clear my head.

Quick checklist:
✅ Refill my 40oz water bottle (yes, I’m that girl)
✅ Do 5–10 mins of movement: yoga, stretching, or a walk
✅ Bonus: I use a visual movement calendar from the toolkit to check it off each day

📝 3. ASL Affirmation Practice

Affirmations are powerful, but saying them out loud doesn’t always fit for me. So I sign them instead. It’s a visual, embodied way to speak to myself with love.

Try these daily signs:

STRONG
FOCUS
READY
ENOUGH

You’ll find illustrated ASL cards in the free toolkit to help guide your own practice.

3. Avoiding Overwhelm as a CEO (and Human)

Even with great habits, burnout can sneak in. Here’s how I keep my routines sustainable when life throws curveballs (which, as a Deaf working mom, it always does).

✂️ The “Cut in Half” Rule

If something feels like too much, I cut it in half.
Planned 20 mins of exercise? I do 10.
Wanted to journal two pages? I write one sentence.
This rule saves me from quitting altogether.

🔁 Templates, Not To-Do Lists

I don’t chase a perfect daily schedule. Instead, I use templates—flexible routines with built-in wiggle room.

My day might look like this:

Time	Focus	Tools Used
7–8 AM	Quiet Time	Candle, ASL affirmations
8–9 AM	Movement + Water	Visual tracker
9–12 PM	Deep Work	Noise-reduction tech setup
12–1 PM	Lunch + Rest	Closed captions ON
1–3 PM	Team Calls	ASL interpreter or VRS
3–4 PM	Admin + Wrap-Up	Visual notes + calendar

It’s not perfect. It’s repeatable.

4. How These Habits Uplift the Deaf Community

Wellness routines aren’t one-size-fits-all—especially when the world isn’t designed for Deaf folks. But creating habits that honor Deaf ways of processing and connecting? That’s empowerment.

Here’s how:

Visual-first tools (like trackers and ASL graphics) help reduce reliance on sound-based reminders
ASL affirmations support self-talk in a culturally relevant way
Routine = Capacity: When we’re regulated, we have more energy to lead, advocate, and push for access

I believe wellness is community care. When we’re nourished, we can advocate louder (or sign stronger 😉), support others, and show up fully.

5. Let’s Talk Long-Term Consistency

So many people give up on routines because they’re aiming for daily perfection, not progress. That’s not how we do it here.

Here’s what I keep in mind:

🛠 My Consistency Toolkit:

Habit stacking: Link new habits to old ones. (Example: I stretch while the coffee brews.)
Visual reinforcement: Use a tracker where you can see your wins.
Self-forgiveness: Missed a day? Cool. The goal is to come back.

Remember:
Consistency isn’t about doing it every day. It’s about not quitting when you miss a day.

6. Reminder: Grab Your January Wellness Toolkit

Before you scroll away, don’t forget to grab your free printable toolkit that goes with this post. It’s designed to help you stay on track—without overwhelm.

🎁 Here’s what you get:

A minimalist habit tracker
Printable ASL affirmation cards
A weekly wellness planner with space for visual notes

👉 Click here to download the free toolkit now

It’s printable, beautiful, and super flexible—because your routine should fit you, not the other way around.

7. After You Sign Up: What to Expect

Once you sign up for the toolkit, here’s what’s next:

💌 Welcome Email: You’ll get the PDF instantly + a quick note from me
📅 Weekly Wellness Tips: Each Sunday, I’ll share one simple strategy to stay grounded
🎥 Coming Soon: I’m working on short video demos for the toolkit pages, with captions + ASL guidance

No spam, no pressure—just support!

Glow Up Season isn’t about chasing some version of yourself that only exists on Instagram. It’s about choosing habits that help you feel calm, connected, and clear-headed. You deserve that. We all do.

Whether you’re Deaf, disabled, or just tired of burnout culture, know this:
You don’t have to be perfect to be powerful.

So let’s start where we are. Let’s build what works.
Let’s glow up—on our terms.

🖤 Donna