A Softer Start: How to Slow Down in a Season that wants you Rushed

Let’s be so for real, December has a very specific kind of chaos to it. Am I right?!

It’s festive.

It’s magical.

It’s nostalgic.

Side note: I am so excited to have our first Christmas with our baby boy!

However December can also be overstimulating, dehydrating, sugar-spiking, and emotionally charged. Rip to your adrenals if you aren’t supporting your body during this time of year 💙.

This month tends to be the month we push, wrap, sprint, host, give, perform….you catch my drift. Sadly, we tend to do this to ourselves when this time of year we are biologically wired to slow down and hibernate. And if you can hibernate, good for you! If you can’t because of obligations, family and work functions, kids, etc. then this post is for you!

Winter is the season of slowness.

Your body literally wants rest, warmth, simplicity, and grounding. Not 14 events to go to and things to get and credit card debt and the like.

Okay, now that we have painted that picture, I wanted to talk about how to actually honour and support your nervous system this December without turning into the Grinch 🤭 or opting out of the holidays altogether.

Why Your Body Craves Slowness Right Now

I kind of touched on it above, but winter is literally about slowness. We as humans are seasonal creatures, even if we pretend we aren’t. Hormones, circadian rhythm, appetite, every levels, literally e v e r y t h i n g shifts with the colder darker days.

In winter, your body naturally wants:

• More rest and deeper sleep

• Warm, grounding meals

• Less stimulation

• Slower mornings and gentler evenings

• More quiet, reflection, and restoration

However because we have built a culture that seriously tries to sprint a marathon this time of year, most people will override these cues and then wonder why come January they end up sick, tired, burnt out, and crawling into January with depleted adrenal glands.

Let me shout this from the roof tops: your body is over dramatic….its WISE!

When your body asks you for something such as slowing down, it’s not being inconvenient. It’s being protective!

Daily Grounding Rituals (2-20 Minutes)

I am here to share that you do not need a 90 minute yoga practice or a 2 hour morning routine. A good grounding ritual is something you can actually do consistently without resenting it.

2-Minutes Grounding Rituals

• Place both feet on the floor, take a slow deep inhale to a count of 4, and exhale to a count of 6. Repeat.

• Put one hand on your heat and one on your belly. Breathe, soften your jaw, neck, and shoulders.

• Step outside and let the cold air hit your skin (yes, this counts).

• Drink a warm nourishing beverage without multitasking.

5-Minutes Grounding Rituals

• Gentle stretching on your mat (or anywhere) like cat/cow, child’s pose, thread the needle, etc.

• A quick lymphatic massage for your face and neck.

• Journaling to the sentence “today I need …”

10-20 Minutes Grounding Rituals

• A slow walk, preferably in nature, without your phone

• Restorative yoga or legs up the wall

• A warm breakfast made intentionally (eggs, oats, broth…simple)

• A guided meditation for regulation or safety

These grounding rituals work because they send a message to your nervous system that you’re safe, that you’re not sprinting, and we’re allowed to slow down.

How to Avoid the December Burnout Loop

Most people go through this every year:

• Push

• Overcommit

• Overstimulate

• Crash

• Get sick

• Start January feeling 100 years old

This year however, you’re choosing a different path, and here’s how:

1. Protect your mornings.

   Slow start, no doomscrolling. No rushing if you can avoid it.

   A slow morning = a calmer day.

2. Reduce just one obligation.

   If you normally say yes to everything, say yes to only 80-90% of things.

   Baby steps.

3. Eat grounding meals.

   Warm, cooked, mineral-rich food stabilizes your nervous system more than people realize.

4. Create tech-free windows.

   Even 30 minutes before bed is enough to lower cortisol (your stress hormone).

5. Honour your energy without guilt.

   If your body says “not tonight” that’s not weakness…it’s wisdom.

Gentle Practices that Actually Restore You

These aren’t glamorous or trending. They aren’t aesthetically perfect, BUT they work.

• A warm bath with Epsom salts

• Cooking something slow (soups, stews, roasted veggies)

• Turning off the overhead lights at night and using lamps and/or candles

• Going to bed earlier than usual

• Drinking water before your coffee in the morning

• Saying “I’ll get back to you” instead of saying yes right away

These practices anchor your nervous system so that the holidays feel softer, calmer, and more grounded 🤌🏼.

So, my final words are these:

December doesn’t have to feel like an emotional roller coaster sponsored by caffeine, cortisol, and cookies (I love a good alliteration moment 🤭).

You can soften.

You can slow down.

You can honour your energy without opting out of the magic.

But for now?

Start small. Start slow. Start with one grounding ritual today. Your nervous system will thank you!

Katie

xoxo