Let’s get right to it – the “accidental break” points at the past six weeks of my readers finding their inbox void of my latest piece of writing.

I have been writing, but not anything I have wanted to post. Rather, I thought I would maneuver throughout the holiday festivities, indulging in late, late nights and too many cheese platters. I believed that when I arrived on the other side in January, my gusto for writing would return.

However, as the midnight clock pistol-shot us into the New Year, rush the gates I did not. I kind of ambled out, tortoise-like. Sat down. Looked up at the sky and just chilled. Thought about things.

Actually, maybe “chilled” isn’t the best descriptor for what I have been doing since early December. There have been a lot of moving parts of late to color my calendar, and finding the inspiration to sit and write every evening has felt more of a chore than a passion.

I’ve decided there needs to be a few weeks break between Dec 31st and Jan 1st.

Imagine if we could slot in a few weeks of recouping as we recover from one year and prepare for the next?

What a luxury (necessity) it would be to catch up on sleep. To use time slowly to reminisce our past efforts, clean our houses, refocus, and create our next plans forward in whatever career or passion or purpose we pursue.

We all could use more time off.

Especially as time seems to pass by so darn fast.

Yoga this week felt medicinal. I have been at war with my own nature these last weeks . . . needing and seeking stillness so that I can align with clarity in my own life choices. Time to get emotionally centered and mentally organized.

Basically, just craving more downtime to sort my shit out.

The “at war” comes from finding this stillness, but once I’m finally still, I set free the hounds and all the thoughts and to-do’s that still need doing rush and howl past any much-needed space. I do not sit in stillness like I am supposed to.

A hovering sense of urgency to appease daily obligations as the year takes off has been a struggle. There seems to be so much to consider before making any fast moves. I have just been so tired.

But now, here we are, nearly rounding out January. I’m finally emerging from the lethargy this past year had draped over my momentum.

At last, I’m feeling more motivated to change up a few things, and eliminate a few others. I’m weighing my time more carefully. Mapping out my direction and charting my goals. You know, the kind of mindful, grown-up, purposeful thinking that keeps creating a life I am proud of.

Off the radar, I’ve connected with so many who feel this way too. The need to slow down. To take a minute or take a week to see what motion feels good, the hounds baying and horses charging through our minds?  Or careful, tortoise-style steps until we are sure of the ground beneath us?

Ask ourselves, what do we really need?

Then most importantly, create space to do just that: give ourselves what we really need. And take our time.