An Invitation to Slow Down
December 18 – that's when I finally started to rake the leaves. If you aren’t familiar with Texas weather patterns, we typically skip fall and go straight to winter so I knew it was officially cold weather season. My kids gleefully squealed as they jumped into the pile again and again. I was so content doing it too, playing with them and savoring their joy. And it was then that I began to reflect. I realized I was really, truly present in ways I hadn’t been in the past few weeks. I let myself get caught up in the “end of year madness” the “holiday chaos” and if I'm being honest, was still struggling with this new routine. Our life was turned upside down when I walked away from my corporate job to start this business and work part-time with a boutique consulting firm. I think I thought that by now I’d feel a bit more settled with all the change. I have felt pressured to start 2025 with it all figured out and had been hoping for an “aha moment,” something tangible to share with you all as we approach the New Year. In that moment of raking and playing in the leaves with my kids, I realized I released some of the pressure I was putting on myself and wanted to focus on relishing the next few months, trusting that I will get there. You can too, consider this my invitation:
The leaves finally fell in Texas – and as the world outside grows colder and quieter, winter extends a gentle invitation: slow down. It’s a time when nature itself retreats into a deep state of rest. In many ways, this stillness invites us to do the same. As the earth rests and prepares for the newness of spring, we too, are offered a chance to pause, to reflect on our journey, recharge, realign with ourselves, and reconnect with our natural rhythm.
Yet for some reason, we’re jumping ahead and faster each year. Swept along by a current of productivity, desire to remain connected, and endlessly busy. We blindly follow the societal norms of this fast-paced world, it’s only natural for a slow down to feel uncomfortable. Winter is not only a time for physical rest; it’s an invitation to journey inward and nurture our own growth. Just as nature prepares for a vivid bloom in spring, we too can grant ourselves permission to pause, to rest deeply, and to replenish ourselves. There is power in rest, and quiet strength in simply “being” – one that nourishes us physically, brings mental clarity, and reminds us of what truly matters.
We often consider the months of Dec-Feb winter, but technically winter doesn’t end this year until March 20. Either way, January 1 is really not the time to be starting anew. I’d argue that you can start something new at any point in the year, but I’m challenging myself and you to something different this year. Align with the seasons. Winter is a time for planting seeds of intention and quiet purpose. This isn’t the season for ambitious goals or detailed plans. Nurture your heart, your soul, and your mind and let ideas of future growth emerge naturally, without pressure or a sense of urgency. Consider this a time of slow and intentional readiness for the seasons to come.
The hustling will return, but for now, there is beauty in the stillness. Let yourself be.
If you’re like me and you feel like the holidays snuck up on you and you’re feeling pressured by the fact that people are already posting their New Year’s Resolutions online, I’m going to kindly ask you to stop. Not only should we take time to delight in His splendor this Christmas season, we should heed winter’s natural wisdom and pause. Give yourself winter....allll of winter. By doing so, you can emerge renewed, with fresh insights and intentions for the future. Below are a few questions to help you reflect over the next month or so:
What brought you joy, fulfillment, and/or a sense of accomplishment?
What challenges did you/your family navigate?
What were the most significant lessons you learned this year? How did they shape you?
What do you wish to leave behind? Consider habits, beliefs, or situations that no longer serve you.
What wounds (emotional, physical, spiritual) are you ready to release before winter’s end?
How can you prepare for new growth when spring arrives?
What do you want in the new year? As you think about this, consider the seasons again and release any pressure you’re putting on yourself to have something noted by Jan 1.
Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest. “ - Mark 6:31
