January Clarity: Start With What Matters Most
A new year brings a sense of fresh possibility. We get a clean calendar, a chance to reset, and (for a moment) it feels like we can do things differently.
Then real life arrives.
If you’re caring for a child, an aging parent, or managing your own health, January can turn from “fresh start” to “full speed” quickly—appointments, school schedules, medication refills, insurance questions, test results, and the quiet worry that rides along in the background.
When everything feels urgent, clarity is usually the first thing we lose. We may start strong, but soon our energy scatters.
That’s why I like a simple January practice:
Name one thing that matters most right now.
Not ten goals. Not a complete overhaul. Just one anchor.
For one family, what matters most might be getting a care plan that feels clear and doable—so you’re not guessing what to do next. For another, it might be reducing stress at home, creating a rhythm, or finally asking the questions you didn’t get to ask at the last visit. Sometimes it’s as basic as: “We need one good night of sleep,” or “We need to understand what this diagnosis actually means.”
What matters most will look different in each home. The power is in naming it.
Here’s a practical way to turn that “most important thing” into something you can use at your next medical visit—without needing to be an expert or to speak in medical language.
Try this three-line prep (write it in your phone or on a note card):
1) The main thing we’re worried about is…
2) The question we want answered today is…
3) After the visit, we need to know what to do next, which is…
Those three lines do something important: they help the clinician see your priorities quickly, and they help you stay grounded if the visit feels rushed.
If you want one sentence that often improves the last five minutes of an appointment, try this:
“I want to make sure I’m leaving with a clear plan—can I ask two quick questions before we wrap up?”
Then ask:
• “What are the next steps?”
• “What should make us call sooner?”
Alongside Health doesn’t give medical opinions, and we don’t replace your clinical team. What we do is help people prepare for the conversation—so you leave with clarity, a short list of questions, and a simple plan for follow-up.
If you begin this year by naming what matters most—and returning to it when things get noisy—the year won’t just get busy.
It will feel purposeful.