Personal Development Digest - June 2026
As life changes, our priorities often need to change with it. Yet many of us continue living according to old expectations, outdated routines, or goals that no longer reflect who we're becoming or who we are at this time.
In this month's Personal Development Digest, we explore how to navigate life's transitions with intention rather than fear. You'll find reflections on re-prioritizing what matters most, a preview of our new Morning Intentions podcast series, practical ideas for caring for yourself during seasons of change, our monthly recommendation, a simple summer recipe, and more. We hope this edition encourages you to pause, reflect, and create space for what matters most in this season of your life.
Life Changes Are Invitations
If there's one thing we can all count on, it's that life will change.
Sometimes those changes are welcome and joyful, such as beginning a new relationship, retiring, welcoming a grandchild, or discovering a new passion. Other times they arrive uninvited: illness, disappointment, loss, conflict, or simply realizing that the life we've built no longer reflects who we are today.
When life changes, most of us instinctively ask, "How do I get things back to normal?"
But perhaps a better question is:
What is this season inviting me to become?
We often think of priorities as something we choose once and then carry with us forever. The truth, however, is that healthy priorities evolve. What mattered deeply to us at twenty may not matter at forty, sixty, or eighty. Our values often remain the same, but the way we live them changes as life changes.
Re-prioritizing isn't giving up. It is also not failure or losing yourself.
More accurately, re-prioritizing is responding wisely to the reality of your life today instead of clinging to yesterday.
Many people experience unnecessary suffering because they continue trying to live according to priorities that belonged to an earlier version of themselves:
They stay overcommitted because they once believed productivity defined their worth.
They continue saying yes when their body is pleading for rest.
They keep pursuing goals that no longer bring them joy simply because they've invested so much time pursuing them.
Growth invites us to pause and ask honest questions.
What deserves my energy now?
What no longer serves me?
What am I holding onto simply because it's familiar?
Life has seasons. Just as nature changes throughout the year, we change, too. There are seasons for building, seasons for healing, seasons for learning, seasons for grieving, and seasons for simply enjoying the life we've worked so hard to create.
Our hope for you this month is that you'll give yourself permission to let your priorities evolve without guilt.
Because sometimes the healthiest decision we can make isn't to work harder.
Sometimes it's simply to choose differently.
Here are a few Reflection Questions that you might find helpful:
Your calendar and daily routines tell the story of what you value most. What story are they telling? And if that story doesn't reflect the life you want to create, what is one small priority shift you could make this month?
What season of life are you in right now, and what priorities would naturally grow out of that season if you fully accepted it?
What part of your life feels as though it's asking to be re-prioritized? What might become possible if you gave yourself permission to honor that change?
JULY: Life Changes and Re-Prioritizing
Our July podcast theme is Life Changes and Re-Prioritizing, and we're excited to spend the month exploring one of life's most universal experiences!
Every one of us is continually navigating change. Some changes happen overnight, while others unfold so gradually we barely notice them until one day we realize we're living a completely different life.
Throughout July, we'll discuss questions like:
How do we know when it's time to let go?
Why do we resist healthy change?
What should stay constant when everything else changes?
How do our values guide our priorities?
What happens when our identity no longer fits the life we're living?
How can we embrace change without losing ourselves?
As always, our goal isn't to provide quick fixes but to offer thoughtful conversations that encourage reflection and practical growth.
We'd love for you to join us each weekday morning for a few minutes of encouragement as we navigate life's changes together!
Ask Annette and Ada
Q: How do I know whether I should persevere through a difficult situation or whether it's time to make a change?
A: Thank you for your question! It is one of the most important questions we can ask ourselves.
Sometimes we leave too quickly because discomfort makes us assume something is wrong. Other times we stay far too long because we're afraid of disappointing others or because change feels uncertain.
Here are a few practical questions you can ask yourself that will hopefully help you feel grounded as you contemplate changes in your life:
Is this helping me become the person I want to be?
Are my core values being honored?
Is this season stretching me in healthy ways, or simply draining me?
If nothing changed over the next year, would I be at peace remaining here?
Difficult seasons often build resilience. At the same time, unhealthy situations slowly erode it. Learning the difference takes self-awareness, honesty, and sometimes the willingness to seek wise counsel.
Please remember, the answer isn't found in avoiding discomfort. Instead, it is found in aligning your life with your deepest values (what we call your Top 5 Values), which can help you navigate difficult situations or see when it is time to move on.
Warmly,
Annette and Ada
——————————————-
Do you have questions about personal development, navigating relationships, or creating a more balanced and fulfilling life? If you have a question, there’s a very good chance you are not alone, and now’s your chance to ask us directly! Each month, we’ll choose one or more questions to answer in our newsletter. Whether you’re seeking advice on setting boundaries, developing self-understanding, or simply finding peace in the midst of life’s challenges, we’re here to provide you with thoughtful, compassionate insights.
Your privacy is our priority. While we’ll share your questions and our answers, we’ll never share your name or identifying details. Feel free to ask any personal development question that’s on your heart or mind. This is your opportunity to gain clarity and guidance in a safe and supportive space.
To submit your question, visit the newsletter page of our website and click the big button that says “Submit Your Question for Ask Annette and Ada.”
Send us your questions today, and you might see your answer in our next edition of Development Digest.
June’s Recommendation:
The Top Five Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie Ware
Few books invite us to re-prioritize our lives more powerfully than this one.
Drawing from years of caring for people at the end of life, Bronnie Ware shares the regrets people most commonly expressed. As you might guess, their regrets are not about money or possessions, but about relationships, authenticity, courage, and how they spent their precious time.
Rather than being depressing, we find this book surprisingly hopeful. It gently reminds us that we still have today to make different choices.
Sometimes the clearest way to determine our priorities is to imagine looking back on our lives many years from now or by reminding ourselves that life is shorter than we think.
Self-Care Tip of the Month:
Conduct a "Priority Audit"
When we think about self-care, our minds often go to bubble baths, massages, vacations, or an afternoon with a good book. While all of those can certainly be restorative, some of the most meaningful forms of self-care are far less glamorous.
Sometimes self-care looks like saying no.
Sometimes it means asking for help.
Sometimes it means getting to bed earlier, taking a walk instead of answering one more email, or choosing to disappoint someone else rather than abandoning yourself.
As life changes, our priorities need to change with it. Yet many of us continue trying to live at the same pace, fulfill the same expectations, and carry the same responsibilities we had years ago. Over time, this disconnect quietly drains our energy and leaves us wondering why we feel exhausted or overwhelmed.
This month, we invite you to conduct a gentle "priority audit."
Set aside ten quiet minutes and ask yourself:
What has become more important to me over the past year?
What no longer deserves as much of my time and energy?
Where do I consistently feel rushed, resentful, or depleted?
What activities leave me feeling peaceful, fulfilled, or deeply alive?
If my calendar reflected my deepest values, what would I change?
You don't have to overhaul your entire life overnight. Lasting change rarely happens that way.
Instead, choose one small adjustment that better aligns your daily life with your current priorities. Maybe it's setting aside one evening a week for family, taking a daily walk without your phone, establishing a consistent bedtime, or setting one healthy boundary you've been avoiding.
While most types of self-care offer you a way to escape from life, the best self-care is creating a life that cares for you.
One thoughtful choice at a time, your calendar can begin to reflect the life and the person you truly want to become.
What We’re Cooking:
Summer Chickpea & Cucumber Salad
This refreshing salad is simple, nutritious, and perfect for warm July evenings.
Ingredients
2 cans chickpeas (they are also called garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
2 cucumbers, diced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 red bell pepper, diced
¼ cup finely diced red onion
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Combine all of the vegetables and chickpeas in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Refrigerate for at least thirty minutes before serving to allow the flavors to come together.
This salad keeps beautifully in the refrigerator for several days, making it an easy lunch or healthy side dish throughout the week.
Until Next Month...
Life will continue to change; therefore, the question isn't whether change will come.
The question is whether we'll allow it to deepen our wisdom instead of our fear.
May this month be an opportunity to notice what truly matters, to release what no longer serves you, and to build a life that reflects the person you're becoming.
