Dear Human,

Happy Last Day of 2025! This isn't the message I was expecting to send today, but I threw out my first draft to give you something a little more raw.

Over the last week, my husband and I have been navigating some complex and really hard family dynamics — situations that have required advocacy, persistence, and a willingness to challenge "authority," even when the rules are long-standing and don't seem changeable.

The other night, we were sitting in the car, and Nick thanked me. He said that his instinct is usually to throw his hands up and assume: it is what it is. He expressed admiration for my refusal to stop there. My ability to see beyond what is, to push against dumb rules, to question norms even when they’re well-established and inconvenient to challenge.

Since then, I've realized how deeply this orientation runs in me and how natural it feels. I was raised by parents and grandparents who encouraged dreaming, who taught us to leverage our privilege responsibly, and who told us that when something is unjust, misaligned, or harmful, our job is not to accept it quietly, but to engage with it and try to change it.

See something on the news that horrifies you? Do something.

Don't think your teacher was right about your test score? Say something.

Think you deserve a higher salary? Ask for it.

Know someone is being treated unfairly? FIGHT FOR THEM.

I didn't realize until relatively recently that this wasn't what all kids were taught, and I am grateful to say that at this point in my life, I honestly cannot imagine not speaking up or deferring to people or norms "just because." Nuh uh. Not on my watch.

I am NOT an "it is what it is" person.

Thanks, Mom and Dad, and the people who've made me.

I fully acknowledge that sometimes accepting what's happening is healthy and important. Sometimes it’s wisdom. Sometimes it’s necessary. And I never want anyone (including myself) to fight reality when fighting could further exhaust or harm you. I know it's easier and safer for some people and groups to push back and challenge authority. I know that not being an "it is what it is" person is a way that my privilege shows up. And...

As this year comes to a close in just a few hours, I want to extend an invitation to us all:

It is what it is....but does it have to be?!

This invitation isn't about constant striving or endless pushing. I'm not asking us not to grieve or pretend things aren’t hard. Goodness knows, things are hard for so many right now. 2025 has been a DOOZY.

The invitation is to hold two truths at once:

1. This is what’s real right now.
2. And change is still possible.

Here are ten ways we can all do this together in 2026:

1. Name one place where you’ve been tolerating something that quietly drains you or makes you feel dead inside. You don’t have to fix it all. Start with a micro-step, a boundary, an honest conversation, or a moment of curiosity about what else might be possible.
2. Question systems and rules that are broken or do harm, and help build or advocate for alternatives.
3. Ask lots of questions. Curiosity is one of our most incredible human superpowers.
4. Advocate for yourself, even when it’s uncomfortable.
5. Advocate for others, even when it's uncomfortable.
6. Remember that imagination is a responsibility, not a luxury. Dreaming isn't escapism; it's groundwork. If we can’t imagine something better, we’ll never move toward it. Even tiny imaginings matter.
7. Notice where “this is just how we do things” or "this is just how things are has replaced reflection in your life and work. What’s one question you, your team, or your organization could ask together that opens up possibilities instead of shutting them down?
8. Practice dreaming and imagining a slightly better world, and then take one brave step toward it (even if no one sees it or notices).
9. Tell the truth kindly and clearly, especially when staying silent would be easier.
10. Choose courage over comfort in ways that stretch you but don't threaten you.

Feeling inspired? Choose one of the above and write it down somewhere to help you remember how you want not to be an "it is what it is" person in 2026.

Again, this is not about toxic optimism. It’s not about pretending the world isn’t heavy.

It’s about choosing, again and again, to stand in the courage zone, where acceptance and advocacy coexist.

Micro steps.
Small imaginings.
And, when you’re ready, maybe big leaps of faith.

As we close this year, my hope for you is not constraint, but possibility.
Not hopelessness, but agency.
Not resolution, but expansion.
Not resignation, but a quiet, steady belief that what is doesn’t have to be all there is.

If you’re looking for ways to not be an "it is what it is" leader or organization, THAT'S what we do at Reloveution.

And if you're craving community with other humans who are practicing this hard act of being human and challenging the status quo, there are a few ways to do that with us in the coming weeks:

• ​New Year Mapping for Millennial Professionals: a reflective, grounded space to look ahead with intention rather than pressure.
• ​New Year Mini Retreat in Connecticut: an in-person pause to reconnect, reset, and imagine alongside others who are tired of tolerating the status quo for themselves and the world.
• ​The Millennial Manager Collective: an ongoing community for professionals who want to build work lives and work places that are more humane, more honest, and more aligned.

Let's step courageously into possibility together this year. Because it doesn't have to be the way it is or the way it always has been. I promise. Change is always possible.

Stay safe out there!! And HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

With hope and solidarity,
Marissa