We are getting closer to the end of our Alphabet Series, and as we step into U, it feels like a natural threshold.
When you spend weeks walking through the alphabet—exploring where you’ve been, where you are, and where you’re going—you realize that real change isn’t just about building new habits in isolation. Before you can construct something new, you usually have to spend some time taking apart what was there before, right at the kitchen table.
Today, U stands for three quiet, necessary stages of growth: Unraveling, Unlearning, and Understanding.
1. Unraveling the Old Household Norms
When a life shift hits, it doesn’t just affect you—it ripples through your whole house.
Recently, I had to sit down with my kids who are still at home with me. While they aren’t “littles” anymore at 16 and 22, sitting them down to explain what’s going on was still a moment that required some care. I laid it all out for them: my lungs needing clean air, my A1C numbers needing attention, and my body needing time to rebuild its stamina and social battery while my iron infusion gradually kicks in.
I made sure they knew: This isn’t terminal, but it does mean things are changing around here.
Having young adults at home actually made the conversation easier to navigate. They get it. But it also means unraveling the routine patterns we’ve built over the years and being open about what the road ahead looks like.
2. Unlearning in the Kitchen
We spend years collecting habits and recipes that feel comfortable. But part of this season is unlearning the idea that comfort only comes from quick fixes or old staple meals.
In our house, that unlearning is showing up directly on our plates:
- Rethinking the Bake: I love baking, but the ingredients are shifting. My famous brownies might now have black beans and bananas snuck into the batch—and honestly, they’re still a delicious treat! My homemade bread is leaning heavily toward whole grains, and don’t be surprised if there’s a scoop of plant protein powder baked right into the loaf.
- Changing the Menu: We’re unlearning the frequent burger nights and moving toward meals designed strictly for function, heart health, and steady energy.
- Unlearning the Push: I’m actively unlearning the urge to pretend my energy levels are bottomless. Rebuilding my stamina means honoring my physical limits, stepping back when my social battery drains, and letting my body absorb the care it needs.
3. Arriving at Understanding
Once the old knots unravel and the outdated habits are unlearned, something calm takes their place: Understanding.
Understanding doesn’t mean you have every single day figured out. It simply means your household sees the terrain for what it is. My kids understand why Mom is pacing herself, why the grocery list looks different, and why we’re making these shifts together.
It turns out that stepping into a “new normal” isn’t a penalty or a loss—it’s an invitation to take care of each other in a deeper, more intentional way.
Winding Down to the Finish Line
As we wind down this series over the next few letters, I’m reminded that we don’t need to hurry the process. Growth takes the time it takes, and healing happens one whole-grain loaf and honest conversation at a time.
If you’re currently in a season where things feel a little unraveled in your own home, don’t rush to force everything back into its old box. Let the outdated habits fall away, do the hard work of unlearning, and give your family space to understand where you’re heading next.
We’re almost at the finish line, friends. Take a deep breath, and keep moving forward with me.
