January has this funny pressure to “begin well.”
Suddenly we’re meant to be fresh, focused, clear, and ready. Like the calendar flicked over and poof… we’re a brand-new person with a colour-coded plan.
But most of us don’t start January from
zero.
We start January still carrying December.
Loose ends. Emotional hangovers. A nervous system that hasn’t quite unclenched. A body that’s saying, “Can we not sprint on day one?”
So before you restart… can you arrive?
Because arriving is different to
launching.
Arriving is slower. Kinder. More honest.
It’s that moment when you stop long enough to notice where you actually are - not where you think you should be.
And it matters, especially if you lead.
When we don’t arrive, we bring our leftover tension straight into our
decisions, our calendar, our conversations… and we call it “momentum.”
But it isn’t momentum. It’s carryover.
This is your permission slip: you don’t
need to come in hot.
You can come in real.
You can start the year by making space.
A Small Arrival Practice
Grab a notebook (or your Notes app). No perfect answers. Just the truth.
1) What am I still carrying from last year?
A feeling. A responsibility. A story. A tension.
2) What do I want to leave behind?
Not dramatically. Just gently. What doesn’t need to follow you?
3) What does “starting well” actually feel like for me?
Not what it looks like. What it feels like.
And if you want a tiny framework, try this simple list:
- Stop: What am I willing to stop doing this month?
- Soften: Where can I loosen my grip?
- Save for later: What doesn’t need a decision yet?
That’s it.
And exhale.
Oh and look out for our Summer Series photos of the team enjoying our January!
Michelle
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