The Winter Solstice on December 21st marks the darkest, longest night of the year. It’s a pause—one that feels completely at odds with how most of us are moving through this season.
The holidays, the pressure to close out the year strong, the push for what’s next. It’s all so loud. We’re conditioned to keep going, keep producing, keep planning. But nature? It does the opposite.
The solstice isn’t about doing more. It’s about stopping.
And if you’re like me, you’re probably thinking, "Yeah, sure. Stopping? On Saturday December 21st? Not happening."
I get it. I’ve looked at my own calendar for the solstice, and it’s packed. That day, we’ve got three hockey games (between both my kiddos), and I won’t be home until 6 pm. The idea of a peaceful pause feels laughable when you’re juggling a million things.
But here’s the thing: it’s not about clearing your entire day or doing it perfectly. It’s about being intentional with the time you do have.
For me, I know I’ll have space later that evening to go into my quiet place, even if just for 15 minutes, to pause, reflect, and connect with myself.
This isn’t about forcing rest or fitting one more thing into your schedule. It’s about learning that slowing down—on your terms—isn’t losing ground. It’s a necessary reset.
The Pause: Why It Matters
Here’s what I’ve learned: You can’t build something meaningful when you’re carrying what no longer fits.
If you’re constantly in motion, you never get the chance to stop and notice where you’re stuck, weighed down, or holding on too tightly.
Pausing—really pausing—can be uncomfortable. Because the quiet reveals things:
The heaviness you’ve been dragging along
The thoughts you’ve been avoiding
The desires you’ve pushed aside because you’re “too busy”
But here’s the gift of the solstice: in the stillness, clarity comes. This is where you start to ask yourself, What feels important to nurture in the coming months?
Notice I didn’t say “What are your goals?” or “What do you want to accomplish?” That’s not what this is about. This is about what matters. What’s calling you forward. What feels right.
The Energy We Hold (and Why It Needs Clearing)
When we ignore the pause, the energy we carry—physical, emotional, mental—gets stuck.
You know the feeling:
That weight in your chest that doesn’t seem to lift
That foggy, scattered headspace where nothing feels clear
The tension in your body that just won’t release
It’s all connected.
This is where my Chakra Balancing Meditation comes in. Chakras are the body’s energy centers, and when they’re out of alignment, it can show up in all kinds of ways—feeling stuck, disconnected, or blocked from moving forward.
The meditation isn’t about chasing some mystical “alignment.” It’s practical. It’s about giving your body, mind, and spirit the space to release what’s stuck so you can reconnect to yourself.
Because let’s be honest:
You don’t need another to-do list.
You don’t need to hustle your way into the new year.
What you need is clarity. Flow. Space to breathe.
Your Solstice Invitation
Here’s what I’m asking you to do:
Stop. Even if it’s just for 15 minutes at the end of a long day. Put the phone away, turn off the noise.
Reflect. Ask yourself: What feels important to nurture or build in the coming months? Write down what comes up. Don’t overthink it.
Clear. Use my Chakra Balancing Meditation as a tool to let go of what’s stuck and restore flow.
The light will return—slowly, steadily. It always does. But first, honor the pause. Trust the stillness. And allow yourself to clear space for what’s next.
The light is coming back. Let it start with you.
xoxo,
Nicole
P.S. If you want to dive deeper into this work I have two opportunities approaching.
1) On Wednesday, January 8th at 6:30 pm I will leading a worksop at Honest Yoga called Reset to Realign-90 Minute Breathwork and Masterclass. You can learn more HERE.
2) February 21-22 join me and my retreat partner Nicole Ferguson for a Mini Retreat at Honest Yoga called Embracing the Unknown: Trusting the Journey Ahead. To learn more visit HERE.
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