Love Letters From A Therapist's Journal: Dear Renewed You
- insitepsychotherap
- Jan 13
- 4 min read
Hello, Love Letter Family,
Welcome back to Love Letters From A Therapist’s Journal.
It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other. I haven’t been posting weekly like I used to—and this, my friends, is real-life action of what being “knocked off your square” looks like.
Sometimes we fall down. We dust ourselves off. And eventually, we try again.
That’s what self-care really looks like—knowing when to unplug, pause, and take care of yourself.
The New Year often represents renewal and new beginnings, even in our self-care. But renewal doesn’t require us to start from scratch. We don’t have to erase everything we’ve already built.
I want to share some tools I personally use to reset without starting over—tools I’ve acquired through my own struggles with self-care. I also shared these insights in a YouTube video titled “Self-Care for Busy Women: Start Over in the New Year Without Starting from Scratch.” The video is posted below:
I’ll review those insights in more detail below, but first, let’s begin with the letter.
This week’s letter is Dear Renewed You. This is the version of you that is committed to new starts, new goals, new dreams, and new aspirations… but also carries the weight of past stops and starts.
Dear Renewed You,
This is a time of optimism. A clean slate. You are ready to restart.
Right back at square one—or so you may think.
Sometimes, even in optimism, shame creeps in. You think about how far you would have been if you hadn’t stopped last time. You tell yourself you shouldn’t have stopped.
But if shaming yourself into change actually worked, it would have worked by now.
No matter where we are in the process, we must meet ourselves with compassion and grace. We do not love ourselves conditionally. Love is not earned. We are loved simply because of who we are.
Which brings me to my first point.
1. Watch Your Language
This is one of the pillars of my self-care.
No matter what happens, I do not allow myself to live in negative language. That doesn’t mean I never have moments—because I do. But I don’t stay there.
As soon as I notice negative self-talk, I consciously reframe it.
Instead of saying, “I can’t do this,” I say, “I’m figuring this out.”
Death and life are in the power of the tongue. When you commit to positive language, your mind will follow.
2. Micro-Resets
In challenging moments, I take a deep breath, close my eyes, and remind myself:
“This difficult moment does not define my whole day.”
Hard moments can feel endless—but they are still just moments.
I often remind people: don’t get too attached to moments that are really bad—or really good—because one thing is certain: they will change.
Appreciate moments for what they are. Moments. Nothing more. Nothing less.
3. Journaling Prompt
Journaling is an excellent tool for managing emotions and processing thoughts. I always tell my clients: put it on the paper.
It allows for release—and it also gives us a written record of how we’ve coped before, so we can plan how to cope moving forward.
Prompt:
“Today I will let go of _____________ and focus on __________________.”
4. Affirmations
Positive affirmations are a powerful way to shift from a negative mindset to a healthier one.
We internalize what we repeat. Think about the words you say to yourself every day—out loud or internally. Those words matter. You can use affirmations from a list (like the 5 Free Affirmations and Reset Tool below), or you can create your own by reframing negative thoughts.
For example:
Instead of saying or thinking, “I am messing things up,” try:
“I am learning and growing each day.”
Feel the difference?
Feed yourself encouragement instead of criticism. Whatever you feed, grows.
Closing the Letter
Dear Renewed You,
Starting over does not mean starting from the beginning.
You don’t need a complete restart—you need the right tools.
No matter how many times you start and restart, meet yourself with grace—in your words and in your actions.
I hope the tools I’ve shared (and continue to acquire through my own struggles) support you along the way.
You’ve got this. Congratulations on your new start. I know you are going to crush it.
With Love,
From Your Therapist’s Journal
Life moves fast, and it’s easy to get caught in the chaos without taking a moment for yourself.
That’s why I created two quick, powerful tools to help you reset exactly when you need it most:
Mini Reset Tool – simple steps to refocus and regain calm
5 Free Affirmation Cards – 5 reminders of your worth, even on busy days
Click below to receive both instantly.
Which reset tool will you commit to this week?
Leave a comment below—I’d love to hear from you.
Encouraging Words for the Week
“You cannot speak death into a situation and expect life from it.”
(Yes—an original. )
About the Author
Lauren Cartwright, MS, LCPC, is a licensed therapist with over 20 years of experience helping women prioritize self-care, emotional wellness, and balance in their everyday lives. She specializes in supporting professional women who feel overwhelmed, burned out, or disconnected from themselves.
Through Love Letters From A Therapist’s Journal, Lauren blends clinical insight, compassion, faith, and honesty to help readers reset their mindset, practice grace-filled self-care, and reconnect with who they are, without guilt or pressure. She believes self-care should be realistic, sustainable, and personalized, not another impossible expectation.
Lauren is a Black woman, a Christian, a mother, and a breast cancer survivor. Her work is grounded in the belief that healing begins with compassion, intentional rest, and learning how to care for yourself in ways that truly fit your life.
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