5 Practices That Are Supporting Me Right Now

The first full week of the year always feels different than the first day. January 1st is quiet and symbolic, but now, a few days in, is when life actually starts moving again — inboxes fill up, routines return, and the world gently nudges us back into motion.

And instead of rushing to meet it with force or ambition, I’ve been paying attention to what’s actually supporting me as I step back in. Not what’s impressive or what looks good online. Just what’s helping me feel steady, clear, and well.

Right now, it’s this:

Walking outside, as often as I can: Lately, I haven’t been motivated to move my body. This time of year, when it’s cold out, I find it harder to get outside and take my daily sanity stroll (especially when my schedule starts to fill up and I don’t feel like I have time for it). Yet I know that the air, the movement, the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other quiets something in me that nothing else quite reaches.

Going to the barn: There’s something regulating about being around horses who have a nervous system that isn’t all about performing, rushing or overthinking all the time. The barn brings me back into my body and horses get me out of my head in the best way.

Time in the sauna: When I need to relax without any distractions, heat is my kind of medicine. The sauna is the one place where I can’t multitask, can’t scroll, can’t rush, but only breathe, soften, and let my body unwind in its own time.

Protecting my evenings: Part of easing into this new year means making fewer plans, spending less time scrolling, and inviting more quiet into my life, especially in the evenings. Basically, I’m going to try to let the day actually close instead of bleeding into the night.

If you’re moving through this first real week of the year feeling tender, tired, hopeful, or all of the above, maybe spend some time noticing what’s not supporting you, what’s already bringing you comfort, and how you can give yourself permission to lean into what’s working.

What’s one small thing that’s helping you feel steady this week?