All around me, people are setting intentions for the new year, making resolutions, creating change, and re-evaluating their lives. My socials are full of people's words for the year as they attack the new year with enthusiasm.

This year I feel a need to slow down into the new year, to take an unhurried approach. Usually, I have my word of the year ready to go. I am working out all the steps I need to take to enact change, to live out that word to its fullest. I'm making a plan, setting goals, racing through each day of the new year ready to be a new me.

Somewhere in all that goal-setting, planning, and racing, I lose the sanctity of rest. I lose the ability to allow myself to rest, recover, and honestly reevaluate the things God has spoken to me about. It feels like instead of entering the new year reset, I enter the new year feeling like I am already behind.

This year I have tried the slow down. I'm not in a rush, I don't have a January 1st deadline. Instead of jumping right in, I am allowing myself time to recover from the end of last year. I am working on goals that I would like to achieve and giving myself grace and time to rest. I will have a plan, for work and home life but I am aiming to have the plan settled by the end of January.

Maybe instead of starting the new year pressured to become a new you, you could slow down into the new year. Ease in, fully rested, approaching the challenges in front of you from a place of rest, instead of striving.