January: Rest and Reset

Time to let go of good intentions

So it’s that time of year again. January! A month wrapped in resolutions, new intentions, and the push to get started with a vengeance. Or is it? Could we rest and reset instead?

Look to Nature

All around us, nature is resting. The trees have shed their leaves and stand dormant. Plants are steady and silent, their buds and flowers yet to emerge. Animals rest or hibernate. Even my hens stop laying.

It’s not the season for new birth. It’s a season of quiet roots, slower rhythms, and careful conservation of energy.

Embrace Stillness

Why not treat this time of year as a restful period for ourselves too? Honouring the stillness of January can feel like a blissful release. Long evenings around the fire, warm drinks, closed curtains. Every day invitations to turn inward.

As I often tell my practitioners: rest is yoga too! My own yoga practice slows and steadies at this time of year. It’s hard to get up early when the mornings are dark.

Focus on Inner Growth

Nature isn’t inactive in January; it’s focused on essential maintenance. Roots deepen, systems stabilize, and growth is being prepared quietly from the inside out.

Our bodies work the same way. We crave stillness and rest in winter as we undertake essential internal work. Let’s lean into those feelings and let ourselves off the resolution hook. It’s time for a gentle reset instead.

Nurture Your Body and Mind

Remember, we need warmth now; for our joints, skin, and energy. Move gently, in ways that nurture and nourish your body and mind.

Midwinter asks us to watch our energy with compassion. Tiredness and fatigue are not failure; they are information. Just as plants don’t bloom in January, we don’t need to push ourselves into constant productivity, rigid detoxes, or intense exercise programs.

Often, the most powerful work happens beneath the surface. Nourishing meals, regular rest, connection with people who understand us, and routines that feel kind really help us to honour and support our energy.

Support Your Nervous System

Winter is a time of resilience. Our physical body can feel under threat as the cold and flu season arrives. Our mental health can be challenged by the short, dark days and absent sun. Small, steady actions can support the nervous system beautifully during this season.

• A short daily walk
• Ten minutes of stretching
• A few slow breaths before bed

These simple practices tell your body that it is safe, helping to soften stress responses that may become louder as we get older. When your nervous system feels steadier, everything else, digestion, mood, sleep, even motivation, tends to follow.

Gentle Planning

Working gently doesn’t mean giving up on goals. January can be a planning month, a visioning month. It’s a time to map what matters rather than forcing immediate change. It is so tempting to force that diet upon ourselves, to start that running training but the days are short, the weather cold. A nourishing vegetable soup is warming to mind and spirit, and how about that walk?

That way you cherish your body as you awaken it to the possibility of expansion.

Gentle, consistent practice

In yoga, we talk about abhyasa: gentle, consistent practice. Steady, regular effort builds the foundations for personal growth and resilience. That can be anything from shedding those few extra pounds, training for that marathon or learning a new skill.

We can work with our body and energy. So that when spring does arrive and the light returns, our natural energy rises with it. By then, we’ve set deep roots and established a calm, grounded foundation, ready to bloom when the season is right.

Gentle Takeaways for January

• Honor stillness: Give yourself permission to rest.
• Move gently: Short walks, stretching, and mindful breathing support both body and mind.
• Watch your energy: Tiredness is a signal, not failure.
• Nourish yourself: Eat well, rest often, and connect with supportive people.
• Plan gently: Use this month for reflection and gentle goal-setting, change will come when invited and at it’s own pace.
• Build resilience: Consistent, small practices (abhyasa) create strong foundations for spring growth.
• Come to yoga: This month it’s all about stillness and warmth.