Did December surprise you too?

One Breath at a Time

Is it just me, or did it surprise you too when we came back from the long Thanksgiving weekend and it was suddenly December?

Sure, I’ve been hearing Christmas music in stores since before Halloween, but it still felt like the season changed overnight. Monday arrived and I found myself staring at the list of everything I wanted to wrap up before the end of the year—wondering how on earth I was going to fit it all into four jam-packed weeks studded with holiday events.

I was swimming in my to-dos and spent an entire day unsure of what to do first or next. I’m guessing I’m not alone in this.

I work so hard to stay grounded, to stick to my routines—so why did Monday throw me for such a loop?

And then, moments before I had to shut down for the day to pick up my kids from school, baffled by my inability to get a single thing done, I recognized the feeling. It was exactly like the overwhelm that creeps in sometimes in the pool—how can I think of sending my books away from my feet and glide along my ski using my scapula to send my fingernails to the other side of the pool and open my wings wide and and and…

If the season asks you to hold more, do more, be more, remember the lesson from the water: when things feel loud or unclear, come back to the breath. To attention. Gratitude might come later. For now, just the breath.

One thing at a time. One breath at a time. That’s what I’ve been reminding myself this week.

I’ll be sharing more reflections next week as I look back on my year and ahead to what’s coming. I’m also shaping a small, virtual gathering the week of December 15th—a space to look back on our year and gently begin imagining what’s ahead. If that sounds like something you’d want to be part of, just hit reply and let me know. I’ll send details next week.

For now, I’m letting this moment be what it is: a quiet turning of the tide.

With care,

Shannon