This blog was originally sent as an email to my subscribers on January 3, 2025. This is an archive, so it’s possible some links are missing or expired. If you want me to deliver these emails directly to your inbox, click here to join my email list.
Subject: Feeling tired? Skip resolutions and do this instead…
How to resist the “New Year, New You” energy by weaving Winter into your business
Look out your window.
What do you see?
For me, it’s early morning, and the sun is just beginning to peak over the horizon. The trees are bare, the sky is hazy grey, and a thin layer of frost is covering the ground. A large black dog pulls a man bundled in a wool scarf down the sidewalk. The birds are sleeping. Everything is quiet.
We’re in the middle of Winter.
From our vantage point, the earth has stilled. But beneath the surface, buried deep in the ground, the seeds and roots are working together to prepare for Spring.
Work is happening, even if we can’t see it. This is the season for the unconscious to work its magic while our physical bodies rest and dream into being what will emerge when the light returns.
Now, look at your inbox. Your podcast queue. Your to-do list.
What do you see?
It’s January 3rd, so you’re likely being barraged by messages encouraging you to make big declarations and commitments to “Make 2025 Your Best Year Yet!”
>> What’s your New Year’s resolution?
>> What’s your 2025 revenue goal?
>> Have you made your annual strategic plan?
>> What are you going to do to be healthier starting NOW?
If the “New Year, New You” push works for you, great. Do what feels inspiring and aligned with your values. You do you, always.
But if something isn’t feeling quite right…
You’re not alone.
It is fundamentally misaligned to push for a new beginning in the dead of Winter. The cultural pressure to make a plan for your most productive year yet while the earth is frozen and the trees are bare feels wrong.
Capitalism has tricked us into believing that our bodies and businesses are machines designed to operate 24/7, regardless of what’s happening in nature.
The message is clear: You are not allowed to slow down.
But we are not machines, and our bodies are not separate from nature—we are nature, and right now, we are in the middle of Winter.
Winter isn’t the time to make commitments and declarations.
But as business owners, we believe we can’t sync with nature without “falling behind” in our businesses.
Capitalism doesn’t slow down, so how can we?
I’m not saying it’s easy, but we have a choice.
The constant pressure to grow, produce, and profit is killing our bodies and the planet. Weaving seasonality into our businesses is a gentle way to step back from the conditioning of capitalism while still operating a business that meets our financial needs.
Winter is the season for rest and reflection.
Instead of sharing a motivational message about 2025, I invite you to reflect on what Winter means to you and envision a version of your business that operates in tandem with the natural cycles of nature.
Ask yourself…
>> What do I love about Winter?
>> What would be different in my life and business if I permitted myself to honor the season of Winter?
>> How would it feel to delete and unsubscribe from any loud, demanding, and insistent messages?
>> What would happen if I gave myself space to dream and envision for the coming year without succumbing to the urgency to formulate a plan or take immediate action?
>> How do I feel when I think about using the Winter months to focus on quiet reflection and cozy rest?
Notice which of those questions gives you pause.
Remember, it’s okay to slow down. You are allowed to rest.
You can tend to your business like a garden instead of a profit-producing machine and still be able to pay your bills!
Look outside, or even better, bundle up and take a walk.
As you look around, ask yourself how you can bring the qualities of Winter into your life and business for the next few months.
Specifically, how can you…
❄️Focus on maintaining instead of growing
❄️Create a quiet space for reflection and dreaming
❄️Share gratitude with your clients and colleagues
❄️Enjoy the long, dark days by practicing deep rest
❄️Breathe and trust that you are doing enough
Wishing you a warm, cozy, and slow January.
With love,
Maegan