The Slow Roll To A New Year
January 5, 2024 5 min read
What an interesting and intentionally unfamiliar start to this new year, I find myself in.
Comparatively, I’m moving at a snail’s pace when I consider my usual rocket launch into a new year, with my big new goals, juiced up fire, and ready-set-go-go-go.
But not this year. I’m slowing my damn roll because everything in my being was telling me to.
I’m taking this whole January to create and reexamine some things in my life:
a redesign to my coaching program The Living Practice
a new customized private client creation (squee) *inspired by a woman from Italy who reached out to me for help
a proposal to a specific company to create and lead Journal workshops for their clients
new levels of creation and learning for my acting work
I’m asking a lot of questions:
will I close my Open-Heart Creative FB community group to simplify my focus and outreach?
will I change my newsletter The Jennuine Way to be more on Journal tips and prompts for inward connection?
will I stay in Toronto or explore another location?
what is it that deeply, truly and perhaps madly matters to me the most right now?
Friends, these are signs of GROWTH so if you find yourself here - yearning to move a little slower, feeling more contemplative, thinking about rejigging some things, TRUST IT.
This is why we’re here. To grow, to expand, to thrive and yes, that can look like leaping sometimes, or hitting that ground running and sometimes it’s the slow-roll-tortoise pace. ALL are valuable.
So where are you at the start of this year? Is your body, your mind, your heart asking you to slow it all down, lean in mindfully, breath through the questions, and get curious about your own creative expansion?
Are you willing to give yourself permission to slow your own roll even if it’s not your usual way?
One way to slow yourself, especially at the start of your day is through journaling in the mornings.
Even five minutes can teach your body and heart to experience a slow, intentional start to your day versus ‘up and at em!’ and that has powerful positive mental, physical and emotional impact. Consistency is far more effective than quantity of time. By the way, I have a morning Journal Group for 10 days starting on January 15th if you’re curious to experience the impact of slow writing first thing in the am.
Here’s a few more slow roll tips:
ask yourself more questions and be okay with not forcing the answers. Listen more. The answers are in you. They come when you create the space to listen.
pay attention to where and when you find yourself pushing or forcing or growing anxious that you aren’t working/doing enough. *These habits of thinking and doing will rise up if you’re used to moving fast in life. It’s okay. Don’t need to fix anything, you’re just observing and learning about yourself here
write a list of what you are currently engaging in in your life that brings you joy.
write a list of what you are currently engaging in that is not bringing you joy.
sit with that, make some choices, trust and trust again.
go for a walk every day for 10-15 minutes…without your phone. (Don’t panic) Just walk and notice your surroundings. That’ll slow your roll, believe me. You’ll wonder why you hadn’t done this sooner.
remove anything you’ve committed to on your January schedule that doesn’t light you up (I recently did this and it felt so freeing) Hey, you can always put it back in your schedule at a later date so don’t worry, nothing is set here.
We’re just playing. Trying something new on.
As far as the benefits of starting this new year with a slow-living pace here are a few:
your nervous system learns to experience more time in the parasympathetic state of calm, resourcing, resting (that’s scientifically proven y’all!)
the space you create with this pace allows for new ideas to bubble up
you feel more ease, more flow in your days
you get really clear about what you do and don’t want to engage in (really, really clear)
more space for visioning your dreams (let’s bring daydreaming back!)
decreased stress and anxiety
increased creativity
you become incredibly productive in meaningful, sustainable ways (This one surprised me)
If you want to read more on this, here are a couple of articles: An Ode To Slowness and 14 Science-Based Ways to Slow Down
It’s a new year. If you’re growing, evolving, dreaming, loving and living, you’re going to be shifting things. Sometimes, the shifts can’t be pushed or rushed.
Sometimes the perfect environment for the most beautiful, creative unfolding in our lives comes with a slow-roll pace that might just be the very thing your whole being self needs, for more of the well-being you’ve been wanting. I know for me it sure is.
Rolling slowly right along with you,
Jenn
If you resonate with this but aren’t sure where or HOW to begin I’d suggest taking a look at my upcoming Winter Journal Sessions group for women. It’s a beautiful slow-practice that will literally change your inner and outer experience of your days.
Photo: Anastasia Chomlack
Want to learn how to live as your authentic self? How to have more confidence and self-trust? Let’s talk!