The Great Lock In: 4 Months to Get Intentional About Your Life
If you've been anywhere near TikTok lately, you've probably heard about The Great Lock In.
September 1st has arrived, which apparently means it's time to lock in for the final four months of the year. š
The goals.The routines.The workouts.The finances.The business.The glow-up.
Basically, everything we enthusiastically wrote down in January and may or may not have been consistent with since.
And while I love a good reset, I don't want September to become another January 1st, full of unrealistic expectations, complicated routines and pressure to completely reinvent ourselves overnight.
I want to do The Great Lock In a little differently.
What if we locked in on what actually matters?
There are four months left in 2026.
That's enough time to make meaningful progress.
But instead of trying to fix everything, what would happen if we chose a few areas of our lives that genuinely deserve more of our attention?
For me, locking in isn't about becoming obsessed with productivity.
It's about intentionality.
It's noticing the places where I've been saying, āI really need to get back toā¦āĀ and actually getting back to them.
It's keeping more of the promises I make to myself.
It's being a better steward of my time instead of constantly wondering where it went.
It's choosing consistency even when the excitement of starting something new has worn off.
And it's remembering that there's a difference between wanting something and creating habits that support it.
Your Lock In Doesn't Have to Look Like Theirs
Social media can make a reset look very specific.
Wake up at 5 AM.
Workout.
Journal.
Drink the green thing.
Read 20 pages.
Meal prep every meal.
Make six figures.
Drink a gallon of water.
Go to bed at 9 PM.
Repeat. š
And listenāif that's your life, I love that for you.
But the best routine isn't the one that looks impressive online.
It's the one you can actually live.
Maybe your Great Lock In means finally becoming consistent with three workouts a week.
Maybe it's spending less and saving more.
Maybe it's taking your content or business seriously.
Maybe it's putting your phone away during family time.
Maybe it's getting your house back in order.
Maybe it's reading your Bible more consistently.
Maybe it's finally starting the thing you've been overthinking for six months.
Maybe it's simply learning how to be more present.
Your goals don't have to be impressive to anyone else.
They just have to matter to you.
Pick Four Areas
Since we have four months left, here's a simple way to approach your Great Lock In.
Choose four areas:
FAITH
What would it look like to become more intentional about your relationship with God?
YOU
What do you need physically, mentally or personally to feel more like yourself?
HOME + FAMILY
What would make the everyday rhythm of your home or relationships feel better?
YOUR FUTURE
What is one thing Future You will be grateful you started working on now?
Then choose one realistic commitment for each.
Not twelve.
One.
Because I'd rather make four small commitments I can carry through December than create an elaborate 27-step routine I'm going to abandon by September 14th.
Discipline Can Still Be Soft
This might be my favorite part.
I don't believe a soft life means avoiding discipline.
Sometimes discipline is what createsĀ softness.
A budget can create financial peace.
Meal planning can make a Tuesday evening less chaotic.
Going to bed on time can make the morning feel easier.
Cleaning the kitchen at night can give you a peaceful space to wake up to.
Moving your body consistently can help you feel stronger.
Planning ahead can give you more room to be present.
There are things we can do today that make life easier for the version of us who wakes up tomorrow.
That's a kind of self-care, too.
And Please, Enjoy Your Life
Here's where I'm drawing the line with The Great Lock In:
I'm not spending the next four months waiting to become a better version of myself before I enjoy my life.
We're still going on the date.
We're still buying the flowers.
We're still wearing the outfit.
We're still having family nights.
We're still lighting the good candle before company comes over.
We're still celebrating the "little" wins.
We're still resting.
We're still living.
Because the goal isn't to disappear for four months and emerge in January as someone completely different.
The goal is to become more intentional about the woman we're already becoming.
So yes, girl.
Lock in. šāØ
Do the work.
Keep the promises.
Be consistent.
Pray about it.
Start before you're completely ready.
But don't become so focused on building your next chapter that you miss the beautiful parts of the one you're currently living.
We still have four months left.
Let's make them count.
Want the deeper version?
This month's Shine Season letterĀ is all about The Great Lock In, but we're going deeper than the trend.
We're talking about what it means to seek God first in a season of goal-setting, discipline without punishment, what I'm personally pouring into this month, and the reminder I think some of us need before we start trying to accomplish everything before December 31st.
Plus, I'm sharing my Great Lock In Edit
Ā with some of my favorite finds for staying focused, organized and intentional this season. šāØ
Join Shine Season and get the next letter delivered straight to your inbox.
Because becoming her isn't about rushing.
It's about being intentional with the life you have right now.
You were created to shine. āØ
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