Welcome, friend.

It’ll be December 30th when this episode airs. The end of a long, layered year, and if you’re feeling both exhausted and hopeful right now, you’re not the only one.

You might be somewhere between tired and tender. Reflective and raw. Ready to start fresh… but also quietly over it before the new year even begins.

If you’re wondering why you feel tired at the new year, even after the holidays, this episode will help you understand what’s really going on, emotionally, energetically, and physiologically, and offer a new way to begin again, more gently.

This is not a “New Year, New You” pep talk. It’s an invitation to allow a sacred pause. To take a breath. A permission slip to root before you rise.

You can watch on YouTube, listen on your favorite podcast platform, or keep reading below.

Why You Might Feel Tired at the Start of the Year

Most people think exhaustion means they didn’t rest “enough” over the holidays.

But the truth is: your tiredness may not be physical, it may be emotional. That’s certainly been true for me these last few weeks.

This time of year carries so much unseen weight.

1. Emotional Triggers and Family Dynamics

The holidays often bring us face-to-face with people we love, but also the parts of ourselves we’ve been trying to outgrow.

Old wounds get stirred up. Childhood roles may quietly resurface. Maybe it’s the comment that stings more than it should, or the tension you can feel but no one names.

You smile, nod, and help clear the dishes… but inside, your body is on high alert.

Even if there’s not a major blowup or argument, your nervous system still registers every unsaid word, every moment you didn’t speak up, every time you swallowed your truth to keep the peace.

It’s subtle, but it builds up.

And by the time the decorations come down, what we’re left with is often an emotional hangover: We’re tired. Unsettled. Maybe a little resentful. Kind of like you’ve been holding your breath for two weeks straight.

So let’s take a breath together here. Gently let it go. Good.

2. People-Pleasing and Overgiving

Let’s be honest. How many times this month did you say “yes” when you really wanted to say “no”?

Not because you were excited. But because it felt easier. Or expected. Or just what you’ve always done.

You offered to host, helped organize, wrapped the gifts, held the space. Maybe no one asked, but you did it anyway. Because you care. Because you’re the reliable one. Because it’s just what you do.

And maybe in the middle of all that giving… you realized you hadn’t had a real moment to yourself in days.

But when the opportunity finally came to rest or be alone? You felt guilty. Like wanting quiet meant you were ungrateful. Or disappointing someone.

This is the pattern so many of us fall into during the holidays, giving more than we actually have, and then feeling bad for needing to receive.

But your capacity matters. Your needs matter. And noticing this pattern isn’t selfish. It’s sacred awareness. It’s building self-trust.

3. Disrupted Routines and Overstimulation

December can feel like one beautiful, chaotic blur. Travel. Late nights. Too much sugar. Not enough sleep. More social energy than your system is used to holding.

And that’s okay. It happens.

But your usual routines – movement, meals, rest, even stillness – get thrown off. And when those anchors are missing, it becomes harder to stay connected to yourself.

There’s no time to feel what you’re feeling, let alone process it. So everything just kind of stays tangled inside.

By the time January arrives, you might feel emotionally worn down. Disoriented. Even a little numb.

Maybe you’re quietly thinking: “I don’t want to start another year like this. Something has to change.”

And here’s the thing: that’s not just burnout talking. That might actually be your inner voice getting louder.

Because underneath the exhaustion, there’s usually something deeper. A sense that you’re ready for more clarity, more steadiness, more support.

That’s where self-trust comes in.

Self-trust is how you bring your wisdom to the surface of daily living, not just in big decisions, but in small ones: how you move through your morning, how you listen to your body, how you let yourself be human.

You Don’t Need to Push. You Need to Root

You don’t need to push this January. You need to root. January doesn’t need to be a launchpad. It can be a landing place where you catch your breath, tune back in, and remember what matters.

As a holistic practitioner, yoga teacher, and nervous system-aware coach, I want to offer something different than the usual pressure to “start strong” or hustle into transformation.

Because yoga teaches us something else entirely. It invites us to honor the season we’re in, not override it. To listen to our energy, not force momentum.

And winter? Winter is inward energy. It’s the season of stillness. Of reflection. Of snuggling in, getting quiet, and tending the flame within.

This time of year isn’t about charging forward. It’s about coming home.

What if you didn’t start the new year by pushing yourself to do more?

What if you started by asking: What do I need most right now, in this season of my life, in this body, in this moment?

That’s not laziness. That’s wisdom. And it’s the kind of wisdom that creates real, lasting change because it’s rooted in you.

What Shifted for Me: The Softer I Became

I used to start the new year with pressure. Big goals. Even bigger expectations.

I’d say things like: “I’m going to work out every day.” “I’ll journal every morning before work.”

Before I discovered intuitive eating, my goals often centered around weight, appearance, or trying to “fix” my body.

On paper, they looked motivating. But in reality? They weren’t grounded in how I actually felt or what I truly needed. They were shaped by what I thought I should be doing… or who I thought I should become.

Looking back, I can see those goals were rooted in self-doubt, in the belief that I wasn’t quite enough as I was.

And every time I ignored my own signals and pushed myself into action that wasn’t aligned, the same thing happened: I burned out before February. And then I’d feel disappointed. Frustrated. Behind.

A Better Question

What changed everything was slowing down just enough to ask a better question:

What if the most nourishing choice I could make was also the most powerful one?

Not the most impressive or even the most productive. But the one that helped me feel more steady, more like myself.

What That Looked Like in Real Life

• Instead of rigid fitness plans, I gave myself permission to move in ways that felt good, not punishing. Some days that meant a hike. Other days, a walk or gentle yoga was enough.
• Instead of filling my planner with goals, I asked myself how I wanted to feel and chose one or two small things each day to support that.
• I learned to make rest part of the routine, not a reward for getting everything done.
• I stopped setting goals that made me override my energy just to feel “on track.”

The softer I became, the stronger I became. Not because I was doing more, but because I was honoring myself more.

This wasn’t about giving up. It was about choosing goals that met me where I was and respected the version of me that was already enough, not the fantasy version based on the January “New Year, New Me” marketing.

And now, each new year feels less like pressure… and more like a gentle invitation to check in with myself.

If you’re feeling that same pressure right now, maybe you don’t need another resolution. Maybe you just need a new question.

What would feel nourishing for you today?

A Different Way to Start the Year

Here’s what I offer myself and my clients when January rolls around. These aren’t rules. They’re gentle invitations. Things that have helped me root into myself when the world is pulling me in a million different directions.

1. Begin with Stillness

Before you map out the year, create a little space to pause. Not because you have to, but because it helps you reconnect.

You don’t need a five-step plan right now. Maybe just a few minutes in the morning with your journal. Or a walk without your phone. Or simply sitting quietly with your hand on your heart, asking, “How am I really doing?”

Clarity has a way of showing up when we stop trying to chase it.

2. Check In with What You’re Holding

Instead of diving into goals, take a moment to notice what you’ve been carrying.

Ask yourself: “What’s still lingering from last year that I don’t want to bring into this one?”

It might be burnout. It might be the pressure to keep it all together. It might be the belief that you have to prove yourself to be worthy of rest.

Whatever comes up, try not to judge it. Just notice.

This isn’t about fixing anything. It’s about telling the truth. gently, honestly, so you can begin again with more awareness.

3. Get Curious About What You Really Want

If you feel clear on your desires, beautiful. But if you feel a little unsure, that’s okay too. Most people do.

Start by asking: “What do I want to feel more of this year?”

You don’t have to name a big vision. Just tune in to what your body is craving right now.

Maybe it’s steadiness. More time to breathe. A feeling of home inside yourself.

Those count. In fact, they matter deeply.

4. Let Your Next Step Be Gentle

You don’t need to leap into change. You don’t need to be perfect.

Just ask yourself: “What’s one small thing I can do today to support how I want to feel?”

That might be going to bed a little earlier. Taking a deeper breath before you say yes. Letting your morning start slowly, without pressure to be productive right away.

You don’t need to earn rest. You are enough as you are. You are worthy. You are whole. You just need to remember.

Reflection Prompts to Reconnect

If you journal, here are a few simple prompts to help you reconnect. You can also just sit with one of these in quiet reflection, or take them with you on a walk.

Don’t feel like you have to do them all. Pick what serves and leave the rest behind.

I invite you to offer yourself a long, slow, deep breath in and just release that out.

If you’ve got a little extra time, it can be helpful to actually look back through your calendar from the past year and just skim through it. Jot down some of the things that energized you, that you’d like to do more of in the year ahead, and also the things that drained you that you would like to do less of in the year ahead. I call this my “do more, do less review.”

Let your body answer, not your to-do list. Maybe that means staying in bed a little longer or swapping your planner for a walk.

What You’re Taking Away

Before we close, let’s recap what we covered:

• Why you might feel tired at the new year. even after the holidays
• How emotional stress and nervous system overload can build in December
• Why “starting strong” isn’t the answer
• Four gentle ways to begin the year with clarity and self-trust
• A journaling practice to reconnect with what you need

You don’t need to rush or fix anything. You’re allowed to begin again, gently, truthfully, and in your own time.

Want More? Tune In Next Week…

If this reflection resonated, I’d love for you to join me again next week.

In Episode 2 of the Root Before You Rise series, I’ll be sharing: “5 Ways to Know When Your Soul Says YES”

You’ll learn how to spot embodied yeses, strengthen your self-trust, and make aligned choices without second-guessing.

Until then… take care of you.

Let’s Connect

Enjoyed this? Please share it with someone who could use a little extra support.

And tell me in the comments: What are you releasing as you step into 2026?

I’d love to hear from you.

Rachel