Hi friends.
I am so glad to welcome you here.
Before we dive in,
I just want to take a moment to arrive.
Inhale through your nose for three,
Two,
One,
And exhale slowly out your mouth for four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Let's do that one more time.
Big,
Deep breath in.
Slow,
Deep breath out.
I have a feeling if you clicked on this,
It's because January may already feel really loud or maybe your Instagram is filled with resets that you're just not feeling.
And I just want to say this,
You're not wrong.
You are not behind and you certainly are not broken in need of fixing.
This series is seven days of wintering and it's a gentle practice for those in this season that may not match the pressure that we find that comes at the first of January.
Because what I found is that even though the calendar may flip,
My nervous system doesn't.
Our bodies don't.
Nature doesn't.
And in many places the ground is still cold.
The trees have leaves fallen.
It's gray outside.
But the wisdom of winter is so beautifully simple.
Conserve energy,
Listen more,
And do less on purpose.
So here's what you can expect inside this container.
See in this space,
All of you is welcome.
The unmotivated you,
The squirrel-brained you,
The tender you,
The burned out you,
The hopeful,
Confused,
The parts of you that want desperately to change and the parts of you that may want to be left alone.
Each day after this will have a simple nervous system supportive practice.
That's it.
No pressure to keep up or do it perfectly.
If you miss a day,
There's no failing.
The goal with these seven days is to care for that inner you.
So before we go any further,
I want to name that may be true for you.
And I know it's absolutely true for me.
For a lot of us who are high achieving and who are used to the new year,
New you energy,
Winter can feel uncomfortable because winter is asking for us to slow down.
And slowing down can feel unsafe when you have been trained to measure your worth by an output.
So if as I'm speaking,
You notice resistance or your mind just will not shut down,
We're not going to shame that part.
We're just going to let the truth be told.
That part of you,
As crazy as this may sound,
Is trying to protect you.
See,
It learns somewhere along the way that pressure equals safety.
That someone else's perception of you is the reality you live in.
And in this series,
We're going to practice a new possibility.
That softness can be safe,
That rest can be aligned,
And that your pace can change without you losing yourself.
Okay,
Let's begin day one with a simple practice.
A way to step out of that January pressure and back into seasonal truth.
So if it feels safe to do so,
I'm going to ask you to get in a comfortable position,
Place one hand on your chest,
Feel your hands,
The warmth of your own touch.
Take a deep breath in through your nose.
And on your exhale,
Let your shoulders drop just one millimeter.
Now I'm going to offer a sentence.
And you can repeat it silently or out loud.
Or maybe just let it land.
But on your next inhale,
May you hear the words,
I'm not behind.
And again,
Inhale and exhale.
I am not behind.
And as you take your deep breaths in,
I want you to imagine winter the way nature does.
Not as a problem,
As a purpose.
See,
Winter is the season of hibernation,
Of integration,
Of quiet rebuilding beneath the surface.
Often it looks like nothing,
But it isn't nothing.
So here's your gentle question for today.
What are you being asked to stop forcing right now?
Not what do you need to fix or what you should be doing or what someone else thinks you should be doing.
What is your body quietly resisting when you let this silence take over?
Take a big,
Deep breath in.
And on your exhale,
Let one answer rise.
Maybe it's forcing motivation,
A routine,
A big decision,
Forgiveness,
Letting yourself be okay when you aren't.
Whatever it is,
Just notice.
So as you take the rest of your day,
No matter where you are,
A reminder that you are not behind,
That the world is in winter and so are you.
So before we close,
Maybe wiggle your fingers and toes as you come back,
Softly blinking your eyes.
I'd love to bless this container with a very clear intention.
In the next seven days,
May we return to ourselves.
May we honor the season we're in and soften the shame that comes around when it may not look normal.
All of you is welcome here.
So may you take one big last breath in and sigh it out this time.
I am so glad that we were able to practice together.
Thank you for being here.
Thank you for your mind,
Your body,
And your spirit.
If this met you in any way,
I would love to hear from you.
And if you'd like to continue with the seven days,
Make sure to follow.
And until then,
Be gentle with yourself.
You are right where you need to be.
