A Gentle Start to the New Year

by Pamela L. Tippit, LPC-S

We’ve officially made it halfway through our first full week back to work, school, and what I like to call regular time. Coming back after a break—even a short one—can feel overwhelming. You might feel sluggish, apprehensive, or more anxious than you expected.

But here’s something important to remember: You’ve made it through many first days before. Many first weeks. Many hectic seasons. And you’re still here.

If you’ve made it this far into the week, you’re already halfway through. You showed up. And that matters.

The New Year often pushes us into reflection—new goals, new plans, new expectations. While there’s nothing wrong with that, I want to gently invite you to focus on something else, too: your wins. Even the small ones.

How many times did you show up when you didn’t want to? How many times was something hard—and you did it anyway?

Those moments deserve grace and praise.

Rather than being solely focused on goals this year, I encourage you to pay attention to movement—your behavioral, emotional, and mental movement. Yes, we may want to get our finances organized, take better care of our bodies, or create more order at home. Those things matter. But just as important is noticing how you’re moving through your days.

Do you need to keep moving—or do you need to pause? Do you need small, intentional shifts rather than big changes? Are you aware of where your energy, effort, and time are going?

So many of us stay in constant motion without awareness, and that’s rarely sustainable.

The saying “start with the end in mind” is helpful—but the end always starts with today. And today might call for rest, stillness, or one small behavioral change. That change might look like clearer communication, better emotional awareness, or simply slowing down enough to notice what you need.

January can be a hard month. It’s long. It can feel gray and heavy. But it can also be illuminating if we allow ourselves to be present, reflective, and compassionate with where we are.

As you move through the rest of this first week—and into the year ahead—take these thoughts with you. Keep showing up. Notice your movement. Honor your effort.

Happy New Year—and enjoy your movement into 2026. 🌱