A lesson from my annual tax meltdown
From the Sunday Self-Care Chronicles | 2/22/26
This week’s issue explores the quiet lesson hiding inside a tax-day marathon — and why small, steady tending often works better than heroic, last-minute effort.
This week’s issue touches on:
✨ Why reactive “panic sprints” create more stress than progress
✨ The power of simple systems and consistent care
✨ How proactive tending — in your life and your body — changes everything
Read the full email below - and if something speaks to you please feel free to comment, share, or reach out!
Hi sweet friend,
I spent today doing my bookkeeping for tax season. Like ALL day.
And every single year I say the same thing:
“Next year I’m going to stay on top of my bookkeeping. A little bit each month. No more marathon weekends right before they're due.”
And every single year?
I don’t.
So here I was again — buried in spreadsheets and bank statements, muttering to myself, wondering why I insist on learning this lesson the hard way.
But this year I did one thing differently.
Instead of patching the system, I upgraded it.
I signed up for real bookkeeping software with bank feeds and automation so that going forward this becomes about an hour a month instead of multiple weekends of low-grade panic.
And as I was clicking around setting it up, I had to laugh.
Because this is the exact thing I tell my clients all the time.
Going to yoga or stretching once or twice a month for 60 minutes won’t do what 10 minutes a few times a week will.
Self-massage in a panic spiral because you're feeling the pain and the pull isn’t as powerful as consistent, gentle tending.
Self-care, whether it's the stuff that makes your body feel good or keeps your brain sane, works best when you are actively engaged.
Little bits.
With frequency.
With intention.
They change everything.
And of course, apparently I needed to take my own advice.
So here’s your Sunday question:
What are you letting build up instead of tending to it in small, steady ways?
And what might change if you traded the panic sprint for small, regular care?
Feel free to share with me if you could use a little cheering on. No shame. I’m clearly in it with you.
P.S. If you’re realizing you might need a little more structure or support around consistent self-care, my free survivorship guide is built for exactly that — small, doable shifts instead of overwhelming overhauls.
P.P.S. Next year when I tell you I’m staying on top of my bookkeeping monthly, feel free to hold me accountable. 🫠