As the year unfolds many people feel an unspoken pressure to move faster, do more and “get on with it”. If that is you let me gently remind you of something important:
You are not behind.
You don’t need to rush.
And there is nothing you need to fix about yourself right now.
This can be a difficult message to hear when so much of the world is telling us the opposite. The start of a new year often comes with an unspoken pressure to do more, be better, and push forward even when our bodies, minds and nervous systems are quietly asking for rest.
Despite the noise around “new year, new you”, this is still a time of wintering. A time of rest, reflection, preparation and gathering energy.
In nature, winter is an essential phase of growth. Trees don’t force themselves to bloom early. Seeds are not behind because they are underground. Energy is being gathered quietly, beneath the surface.
And we are part of nature too.
Wintering and the Nervous System
When we ignore the natural rhythm of winter and push ourselves to stay busy, productive and constantly available, our nervous systems often pay the price. Many people I work with describe feeling:
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chronically tired yet unable to rest
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mentally busy but emotionally flat
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anxious, irritable, or overwhelmed
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disconnected from their own needs
This isn’t a personal failing it is a sign of living out of sync with the body.
Winter is an invitation to slow down, pause, regulate the nervous system and reconnect inwardly. It is a time for listening rather than striving.
Why Resolutions Often Create More Stress
This is why I don’t believe in or advocate New Year’s resolutions.
Resolutions often depend on willpower, perfectionism, rigid expectations and an underlying belief that something about us needs fixing.
They tend to ignore the reality of our lives, changing energy levels, emotional needs, family demands, health fluctuations and nervous system capacity. And when life inevitably happens, those resolutions quietly fall away, often replaced by guilt, self-criticism and a familiar inner narrative of “I’ve failed again.”
But the problem isn’t you or a lack of discipline.
The problem is trying to force change through pressure instead of compassion.
Setting Intentions: A Gentler Way Forward
Rather than resolutions, I invite people to set intentions, a gentle more sustainable approach. Intentions are rooted in self-awareness rather than self-control. They allow space for fluctuations in energy, emotions, health and circumstances.
Intentions don’t demand perfection.
They don’t require relentless discipline.
They don’t punish you when you are tired, emotional or human.
Intentions begin with self-connection.
A powerful place to start is not with goals, but with curiosity:
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How do I want to feel day to day?
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How do I want my body to feel as I move through my life?
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What would help me feel more grounded, supported and regulated?
These questions shift us out of the mind and back into the body where real, sustainable change begins.
From here, we can build small, intentional steps. Not dramatic overhauls. Not “all or nothing” thinking. Just realistic, kind, sustainable changes that work with your nervous system rather than against it and create far more lasting transformation.
You Don’t Need Permission to Rest
So many people I work with are waiting often unconsciously for permission.
Permission to slow down.
Permission to rest without guilt.
Permission to not be busy all the time.
But rest is not something you need to justify.
You don’t need to earn it by being productive enough.
You don’t need to explain it.
And you certainly don’t need to push yourself to the point of depletion before it’s allowed.
Rest is a biological need. It’s how the nervous system recalibrates. It’s how clarity returns. It’s how resilience is built.
Being constantly busy is not a badge of honour or a sign of success. It is often a sign that deeper needs are being ignored.
It’s Okay to Go Slowly
You may be hearing a lot about momentum, movement and charging ahead this year. But energetically, this is still a time for reflection. The forward-moving energy many people speak about doesn’t truly come into play until later in February.
Until then, it is more than okay to pause.
This is also a Year 1, a year associated with self-definition, embodied presence and choosing who you are becoming from the inside out. Not who you think you should be, but who feels aligned, grounded and authentic to you now.
This kind of becoming cannot be rushed.
It asks for honesty, patience and self-trust.
Wintering Is Not Standing Still
There is a common fear that if we slow down, we will lose momentum, miss opportunities or fall behind others.
But wintering is not stagnation.
It is a season of:
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integration
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nervous system regulation
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emotional processing
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gentle recalibration
It is where insight emerges. Where old patterns loosen. Where clarity quietly takes shape.
Sometimes the most powerful work we do is the quiet work of resting and gathering strength.
Going slowly now doesn’t delay growth it supports it.
A Gentle Reflection for You
If you take nothing else from this, I invite you to sit with this question:
What would it look like to move through this season with more kindness toward myself?
There is no rush to answer it.
No pressure to act on it immediately.
Just a soft invitation to listen.
You are not behind.
You are becoming.
And winter is doing exactly what it’s meant to do.
If you are noticing that slowing down feels unfamiliar, uncomfortable, or even unsafe, you are not alone. Many people have learned to override their bodies, push through stress and ignore their own needs for years.
My work supports people to reconnect with themselves emotionally, physically and energetically, so they can move through life with greater calm, clarity and self-trust. Through gentle, body-based and holistic approaches, I help clients regulate their nervous systems, soften their inner critic and create change that feels sustainable rather than exhausting.
If this resonates, you are very welcome to explore working with me or simply take this season one small, compassionate step at a time.