This Year's Word with Courtney Symes

How to restore your physical and mental energy

A lot of us are tired.
Not just the kind of tired that comes from one late night.
I mean the deeper kind of tired.
The kind where you wake up after a full night's sleep and still don't feel refreshed.
The kind where your body feels heavy, your mind won't stop racing, and even the smallest tasks seem to require more energy than they used to.
Can you relate?
In the last episode, we began exploring what restoration really means. We talked about how restoration is so much more than simply taking a holiday or catching up on sleep. It's about intentionally replenishing the parts of ourselves that have been quietly running low.
In this episode, I'd love to explore one of the places where many of us feel that depletion most deeply—our physical and mental energy.
 
If the content of today’s episode has piqued your interest, I have something very special for you. I have created 30 Journal Prompts, similar to the ones mentioned throughout this episode on restoration – that’s one life-changing prompt for you to work on every day over the next month!
Just imagine how much growth you can unlock over the next 30 days if you keep the momentum going and commit to answering one prompt a day.
All you need to do to get these thought-provoking prompts is leave a positive rating and review for this podcast, take a screenshot of your review and email it to: courtney@alittlepinkbook.com and I’ll email you the prompts!
Check out my courses: Magical Mornings and Joyful Journaling Journey, as well as my book, A Year of Love: Finding peace one day at a time. 
Grab your FREE How to Ask Someone if They're Ok Conversation Starters and FREE Journaling Guide with 100+ prompts here. 
Read more on my blog, or connect with me on Facebook. 
 
 

You don’t need more rest…you need restoration

Have you ever noticed that sometimes you can take a whole weekend off... sleep in, watch your favourite shows, maybe even go away for a few days... and yet by Monday morning, you still feel exhausted?
I've certainly experienced that.
And it makes you wonder whether what we're craving isn't actually more rest... but something deeper.
This month, our word is Restore.
At first glance, it seems like a simple word. We restore furniture. We restore old buildings. We restore power after a storm.
But when we talk about restoring ourselves, it becomes something much richer than simply taking a break.
Restoration isn't about escaping life.
It's about returning to yourself.
It's the quiet, intentional process of replenishing whatever life has slowly worn down—physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.
And I think that's something many of us are longing for - without even realising it.
In this episode, I explore what restoration really means, why it's different from simply resting, and how we can begin recognising the parts of ourselves that are quietly asking for renewal.
 
If the content of today’s episode has piqued your interest, I have something very special for you. I have created 30 Journal Prompts, similar to the ones mentioned throughout this episode on restoration – that’s one life-changing prompt for you to work on every day over the next month!
Just imagine how much growth you can unlock over the next 30 days if you keep the momentum going and commit to answering one prompt a day.
All you need to do to get these thought-provoking prompts is leave a positive rating and review for this podcast, take a screenshot of your review and email it to: courtney@alittlepinkbook.com and I’ll email you the prompts!
Check out my courses: Magical Mornings and Joyful Journaling Journey, as well as my book, A Year of Love: Finding peace one day at a time. 
Grab your FREE How to Ask Someone if They're Ok Conversation Starters and FREE Journaling Guide with 100+ prompts here. 
Read more on my blog, or connect with me on Facebook. 

How has persistence shaped the person you are becoming?

Persistence is never just about achieving goals.
It's about transformation.
It's about who we become while pursuing them.
Over the last few episodes, we've explored what persistence means, where life asks it of us, and how it shows up in our relationships.
Today, I'd like to explore perhaps the most profound question of all:
How has persistence shaped the person I am becoming?
 
If the content of today’s episode has piqued your interest, I have something very special for you. I have created 30 Journal Prompts, similar to the ones mentioned throughout this episode on persistence – that’s one life-changing prompt for you to work on every day over the next month!
Just imagine how much growth you can unlock over the next 30 days if you keep the momentum going and commit to answering one prompt a day.
All you need to do to get these thought-provoking prompts is leave a positive rating and review for this podcast, take a screenshot of your review and email it to: courtney@alittlepinkbook.com and I’ll email you the prompts!
Check out my courses: Magical Mornings and Joyful Journaling Journey, as well as my book, A Year of Love: Finding peace one day at a time. 
Grab your FREE How to Ask Someone if They're Ok Conversation Starters and FREE Journaling Guide with 100+ prompts here. 
Read more on my blog, or connect with me on Facebook. 

How does persistence show up in your relationships?

One of the most common misconceptions about relationships is that healthy relationships should be easy.
That if we find the right people, everything should flow effortlessly.
But the longer we live, the more we learn that's not quite how relationships work.
Because relationships are living things.
They grow.
They change.
They evolve.
And just like gardens, they require tending.
Today, I want to explore the role persistence plays in our relationships.
Not persistence as endurance.
Not persistence as tolerating unhealthy behaviour.
But persistence as commitment.
As care.
As choosing connection even when it would be easier to withdraw.
 
If the content of today’s episode has piqued your interest, I have something very special for you. I have created 30 Journal Prompts, similar to the ones mentioned throughout this episode on persistence – that’s one life-changing prompt for you to work on every day over the next month!
Just imagine how much growth you can unlock over the next 30 days if you keep the momentum going and commit to answering one prompt a day.
All you need to do to get these thought-provoking prompts is leave a positive rating and review for this podcast, take a screenshot of your review and email it to: courtney@alittlepinkbook.com and I’ll email you the prompts!
Check out my courses: Magical Mornings and Joyful Journaling Journey, as well as my book, A Year of Love: Finding peace one day at a time. 
Grab your FREE How to Ask Someone if They're Ok Conversation Starters and FREE Journaling Guide with 100+ prompts here. 
Read more on my blog, or connect with me on Facebook. 

Where are you being asked to persist?

The great thing about persistence is that we don’t have to wait very long before life offers up an opportunity to practice it!
In our last episode, we explored what persistence actually means.
Not persistence as hustle.Not persistence as pushing ourselves relentlessly.But persistence as the quiet decision to keep showing up for what matters.
Today, I'd like to take that conversation a little deeper.
Because once we understand persistence, the next question becomes:
Where is life currently inviting us to practice it?
 
If the content of today’s episode has piqued your interest, I have something very special for you. I have created 30 Journal Prompts, similar to the ones mentioned throughout this episode on persistence – that’s one life-changing prompt for you to work on every day over the next month!
Just imagine how much growth you can unlock over the next 30 days if you keep the momentum going and commit to answering one prompt a day.
All you need to do to get these thought-provoking prompts is leave a positive rating and review for this podcast, take a screenshot of your review and email it to: courtney@alittlepinkbook.com and I’ll email you the prompts!
Check out my courses: Magical Mornings and Joyful Journaling Journey, as well as my book, A Year of Love: Finding peace one day at a time. 
Grab your FREE How to Ask Someone if They're Ok Conversation Starters and FREE Journaling Guide with 100+ prompts here. 
Read more on my blog, or connect with me on Facebook. 

What does persistence mean to you?

If you've ever started something with enthusiasm only to find your motivation fading a few weeks later, you're not alone.
Most of us love the feeling of beginnings. New goals. New plans. Fresh energy. We enjoy the excitement of possibility.
But persistence?
Persistence lives in a different part of the journey.
Persistence is what carries us forward after the excitement wears off.
It's what keeps us taking small steps when progress feels invisible.
It's what helps us continue showing up when things don't go according to plan.
This month, we're exploring the word Persistence, and in today's episode, I want to begin at the beginning.
What does persistence actually mean?
And perhaps even more importantly...
What does persistence mean to you?
Because while we often think we understand this word, the truth is that each of us carries our own definition of it—shaped by our experiences, beliefs, successes, disappointments, and hopes.
So today, let's explore persistence together.
Not as a productivity tool.
Not as a personality trait.
But as a way of moving through life.
If the content of today’s episode has piqued your interest, I have something very special for you. I have created 30 Journal Prompts, similar to the ones mentioned throughout this episode on persistence – that’s one life-changing prompt for you to work on every day over the next month!
Just imagine how much growth you can unlock over the next 30 days if you keep the momentum going and commit to answering one prompt a day.
All you need to do to get these thought-provoking prompts is leave a positive rating and review for this podcast, take a screenshot of your review and email it to: courtney@alittlepinkbook.com and I’ll email you the prompts!
Check out my courses: Magical Mornings and Joyful Journaling Journey, as well as my book, A Year of Love: Finding peace one day at a time. 
Grab your FREE How to Ask Someone if They're Ok Conversation Starters and FREE Journaling Guide with 100+ prompts here. 
Read more on my blog, or connect with me on Facebook. 

Guided Meditation: Finding resilience

This calming guided meditation invites you to reconnect with your inner resilience through the imagery of late autumn. As the landscape quiets and the leaves fall, you’ll be guided to ground yourself like a tree—rooted, steady, and quietly strong.
Through gentle breathwork and visualisation, you’ll explore the balance between letting go and staying grounded, releasing what no longer serves you while reconnecting with your core strength. This meditation offers a space to reflect on the challenges you’ve faced and recognise the growth that has taken place beneath the surface.
Perfect for moments of uncertainty or change, this practice will leave you feeling centred, supported, and more deeply connected to your ability to adapt, grow, and trust the process of becoming. 
 
If the content of today’s episode has piqued your interest, I have something very special for you. I have created 30 Journal Prompts, similar to the ones mentioned throughout this episode on resilience – that’s one life-changing prompt for you to work on every day over the next month!
Just imagine how much growth you can unlock over the next 30 days if you keep the momentum going and commit to answering one prompt a day.
All you need to do to get these thought-provoking prompts is leave a positive rating and review for this podcast, take a screenshot of your review and email it to: courtney@alittlepinkbook.com and I’ll email you the prompts!
Check out my courses: Magical Mornings and Joyful Journaling Journey, as well as my book, A Year of Love: Finding peace one day at a time. 
Grab your FREE How to Ask Someone if They're Ok Conversation Starters and FREE Journaling Guide with 100+ prompts here. 
Read more on my blog, or connect with me on Facebook. 

Becoming through it: resilience in growth, goals, and identity

Autumn has a very particular feeling, doesn’t it?
The trees are bare.The landscape feels quieter… simpler.There’s less colour, less movement, less noise.
At first glance, it can almost feel like something has been lost.
But if you look a little closer…you begin to realise that nothing essential is gone.
Beneath the surface, life is still present.The roots are still strong.The tree is not dying — it is conserving, adapting, preparing.
And in many ways, this is what growth looks like for us too.
Not always vibrant.Not always visible.Not always easy to understand while we’re in it.
But deeply, quietly transformative.
Over the past few episodes, we’ve been exploring resilience — not as something loud or forceful, but as something steady, grounded, and deeply human.
We’ve talked about resilience in our inner world…In our relationships…In the way we move through uncertainty.
And today, as we arrive at this final episode in the series, I want to explore something a little deeper… a little quieter.
Resilience in who we are becoming.
Because resilience doesn’t just help us get through life.It shapes us.It refines us.It changes us.
And often… it changes us in ways we never expected.
 
If the content of today’s episode has piqued your interest, I have something very special for you. I have created 30 Journal Prompts, similar to the ones mentioned throughout this episode on resilience – that’s one life-changing prompt for you to work on every day over the next month!
Just imagine how much growth you can unlock over the next 30 days if you keep the momentum going and commit to answering one prompt a day.
All you need to do to get these thought-provoking prompts is leave a positive rating and review for this podcast, take a screenshot of your review and email it to: courtney@alittlepinkbook.com and I’ll email you the prompts!
Check out my courses: Magical Mornings and Joyful Journaling Journey, as well as my book, A Year of Love: Finding peace one day at a time. 
Grab your FREE How to Ask Someone if They're Ok Conversation Starters and FREE Journaling Guide with 100+ prompts here. 
Read more on my blog, or connect with me on Facebook. 

Weathering change — resilience in relationships and uncertainty

One place where our resilience is often tested the most…is in our relationships.
Because if there’s one place in life where things don’t stay predictable…it’s here.
Relationships shift.People change.Expectations evolve.And emotions… well, they move like weather.
And just like the autumn season we’re sitting in right now,those changes can feel subtle one moment…and quite strong the next.
You might have a warm, easy conversation in the afternoon…and then find yourself navigating tension or misunderstanding by the evening.
And so the question becomes:how do we stay steady…when everything around us feels like it’s moving?
 
If the content of today’s episode has piqued your interest, I have something very special for you. I have created 30 Journal Prompts, similar to the ones mentioned throughout this episode on resilience – that’s one life-changing prompt for you to work on every day over the next month!
Just imagine how much growth you can unlock over the next 30 days if you keep the momentum going and commit to answering one prompt a day.
All you need to do to get these thought-provoking prompts is leave a positive rating and review for this podcast, take a screenshot of your review and email it to: courtney@alittlepinkbook.com and I’ll email you the prompts!
Check out my courses: Magical Mornings and Joyful Journaling Journey, as well as my book, A Year of Love: Finding peace one day at a time. 
Grab your FREE How to Ask Someone if They're Ok Conversation Starters and FREE Journaling Guide with 100+ prompts here. 
Read more on my blog, or connect with me on Facebook. 

The work no one sees – and why it matters

Resilience is not built in the moments that everyone sees.It’s not built in the breakthrough, the milestone, or the big visible win.
Resilience is built in the quiet.In the repetition.In the ordinary, often unnoticed moments of your life.
And I think this is one of the most important — and often overlooked — parts of resilience.
Over the last episode, we began to gently reframe what resilience really means — not as hardness, not as pushing through, but as flexibility. As responsiveness. As the quiet strength that allows you to bend without breaking.
In this episode, I want to take that conversation a little deeper.
Last episode was about softening the surface…This episode is about strengthening what sits beneath it.
 
If the content of today’s episode has piqued your interest, I have something very special for you. I have created 30 Journal Prompts, similar to the ones mentioned throughout this episode on resilience – that’s one life-changing prompt for you to work on every day over the next month!
Just imagine how much growth you can unlock over the next 30 days if you keep the momentum going and commit to answering one prompt a day.
All you need to do to get these thought-provoking prompts is leave a positive rating and review for this podcast, take a screenshot of your review and email it to: courtney@alittlepinkbook.com and I’ll email you the prompts!
Check out my courses: Magical Mornings and Joyful Journaling Journey, as well as my book, A Year of Love: Finding peace one day at a time. 
Grab your FREE How to Ask Someone if They're Ok Conversation Starters and FREE Journaling Guide with 100+ prompts here. 
Read more on my blog, or connect with me on Facebook.