Jan 3 • General discussion
Welcome to January
Not a complete reset- just an opportunity to reflect and reframe.
If August is one long Sunday, then January is the longest Monday of all time. After the fun, family, and food of the holidays, January arrives begrudgingly, lazily knocking on our doors. I used to really struggle with it. Where I live, in Utah, the first month of the year is often marked by frigid temperatures and poor air quality due to an inversion in the Salt Lake Valley. As a teacher, I knew it meant a full 31 days of it being dark when I left for work, dark when I returned home, and a high probability of at least one indoor recess due to weather or gross air. Not ideal.
To top it off, society has added its own silly expectations of the month- New Year’s. We hype ourselves up for this “New Year, New Me” mindset and create goals for ourselves that will most likely fade by the second Friday of the month, called “Quitters Day.” In our self-imposed rush from Christmas celebrations to action planning for the year ahead, we skip the pause our nervous system is actually craving. We miss perhaps the most important piece of all: reflection.
We don’t need to fully reset in January. We can simply reframe. Instead of setting goals in the dead of winter, reflect on the year we just exited. Thank her, and sit with her just a bit longer. Show gratitude for the good of the year, and grace for the lessons and tough moments. In December, we talked about the sparkle and the shadow of the season. January gives us permission to embrace the shadow- whether it’s with ourselves, our relationships, or our work. With the holidays behind us, our wallets empty, and perhaps too many ingested libations, our shadow is begging for some quality time this month.
Shadow work doesn’t have to be scary. In fact, we all have our shadows– they are just as much a part of us as our light. More importantly, your shadow doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you. She often sounds like exhaustion, resentment, or the quiet thought of “I can’t keep doing this.” Consider the holidays’ final gift as an opportunity to reflect on where you are, where you’ve been, and where you’re headed next.
Questions to consider (choose just a few- this is an invitation, not a checklist):
Boundaries and Energy
- Where did I protect my time or energy this season– and where did I override my own needs?
- When did I say yes when I meant to say no? What was I afraid would happen?
- Which boundaries felt supportive? Did any feel performative or forced?
Teaching and Work
- Where did I feel most like myself as an educator this past year?
- What part of my work drained me the most—and what does that tell me?
- What expectations am I carrying that may no longer be mine to hold?
- Where did I choose connection over control?
Parenting and Home Life
- When did I show up as the parent I want to be?
- Where did I react instead of respond—and what was underneath that reaction?
- What rhythms at home feel sustainable? Which ones feel brittle?
Identity and Self-Compassion
- What am I proud of that no one else saw?
- Where am I holding onto guilt that no longer serves me?
- What version of myself is asking to be acknowledged instead of fixed?
Here’s the thing: you may have answers to some of these questions. You may not. Either is okay. January isn’t about action planning for the year. It’s a time to be still, to be curious, to ponder. It’s a time to find comfort in the discomfort. By doing so, you’re planting stronger seeds for the remainder of the year. There will be time to set goals and action plan- very soon in fact.
For now, though, take a moment to sit with yourself. Once I adopted this gentler mindset, January shifted from pure dread to a welcome thought partner. Just like in nature, humans need time to rest and reflect. Embrace it.
January may still feel like one long Monday, but it doesn’t have to be one we rush through. It can be a quiet check-in with ourselves before our week, our year, truly begins.
Tell your shadow I say hello 🙂
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Welcome to January
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