Topic of the month!

This month, the theme is New Beginnings. We thought this would be pretty relevant, given that the website has just launched. But also, the New Year is here! For some, that fills us with excitement. Others, dread. New beginnings can come with new opportunities, but we also need to make sure we are taking the time to not put too much pressure on ourselves. Changes, improvements, successes can happen at ANY time of year. Don't feel like you have to suddenly start waking up at 4am for runs. Move at the pace that is right for you. 

An invitation for reflection.

• What does a “new beginning” actually feel like in your body?

• Is there something small you’re quietly starting over?

• When have endings turned out to be beginnings in disguise?

• What would a gentle new beginning look like for you right now?

• What’s one habit, thought, or expectation you’d like to loosen rather than fix?

Suggestion: try asking someone else one of these questions today.
 

What do new beginnings look like to different people?

 East Asian cultures (China, Korea, Vietnam)

• Lunar New Year marks renewal.
   
• Homes are cleaned to sweep away bad luck.
   
• Red decorations symbolise vitality and protection.
   
• Food (dumplings, rice cakes) represents prosperity and longevity.
   

Western cultures (Europe, North America)

• January 1st is the symbolic reset.
   
• New Year’s resolutions emphasise self-improvement and personal agency.
   
• Fireworks and countdowns dramatise the “break” between old and new.
  

Iranian culture

• Nowruz (spring equinox) celebrates rebirth through nature.
   
• The Haft-Seen table uses symbolic items (sprouts, apples, vinegar) to represent life, health, and patience.
   
• Strong emphasis on balance, harmony, and renewal of relationships.

Curated, calm, non-clickbait.

• Braiding Sweetgrass - Robin Wall Kimmerer
   
• Four Thousand Weeks - Oliver Burkeman
  
   

Optional - no streaks, no tracking.

• Write a single sentence you’d like to live by this month
   
• Tidy one small corner of your space
   
• Take a “first step walk” — no destination
   
• Plant something (even a seed in a jar)
   
• Begin a notebook without deciding its purpose

• Many forests rely on disturbance (fire, storms) to regenerate
   
• The word begin comes from Old English beginnan, meaning “to open”
   
• Some animals only reproduce after environmental resets
   
• Human brains are most open to change during emotional transitions
   

“You’re allowed to start again quietly, slowly, and without announcement.”

January 2025