January

New year’s resolutions seem daunting, especially to someone like me who tends to operate on a six month rotation of finding and abandoning hobbies. While I don’t necessarily like the idea of committing to something for the entire year, I tend to see the shift to a “new year” as a time to check in, reset, and ask myself:

• What do I need more of?
• What do I need less of?
• What do I want to keep the same?

As the weather turns cold in Texas, I’m finding myself coming back to the word, “hibernation.” I’m feeling myself asking for more time at home, on the couch, with a book. And so, I’m listening to myself and honoring what I need.

This past week, in an afternoon after therapy, I walked to the library not realizing I had four book requests waiting for me. I carried them all home a bit awkwardly under my arm–sometimes needing to switch sides when the muscles along the outside of my arm started to strain.

Probably during a moment of pausing to reshuffle my books, I realized I want to make space right now–maybe not all year, but right now– to sit on the couch before sunset reading a book from the library. To spend a bit of time in the morning after I journal, before my light therapy is over, to read.

What’s bringing me calm in January?

• Cait Flanders’ Opting Out podcast. This podcast is one of the most nurturing things I’ve ever listened to. Cait is vulnerable, kind, and helps me think about my own answers to the questions she asks herself. And, there are nature sounds 🙂
• Timothy Goodman talking about why January is his favorite month. I think this was in his stories, so I’ll just link to his instagram, which is a constant source of joy in my life. He talked about how there aren’t holidays in January, it’s just this still, quiet time after the business of December, and we can lean into that as a time for reflection, resetting.
• My partner supporting my idea to put a curtain in front of our TV. I love TV. I love being able to sit back and let the constant stream of sound, light, movement, story, and characters come into the living room. It can be regulating when I’m overwhelmed and make me feel connected when I’ve felt alone. But I like the idea of choosing to open a curtain and turning on the TV, and so, I’m trying this out.

Happy January, friends. Hoping you get to use this time to reset as well, in whatever way is most nourishing for you.