A Different Way to Start 2026: Slowing Down to Listen In

What if this year didn’t begin with pressure? Not with lists of what needs to get done, or all the “should-ing" on ourselves, or the promises we make to do more. What if the first item on your 2026 to-do list is actually less about doing and more about being?

As a mindfulness educator, and a human being who often feels pulled by what seems like the endless demands of life – from my role as a wife, mom to three boys and business owner, I notice something over and over again in myself and in the people I work with: We rarely give ourselves time to slow down and check in on how we are until we are forced to do so. More often than not, we wait until the stress is unbearable, a decision is urgent or our exhaustion is so deep that it feels like our only option is to collapse by the weight of the world.

But mindfulness offers another way of being. And it begins with allowing ourselves to step out of doing mode and to really notice how we are in the moment. We can choose to slow down before we reach that brink of overwhelm and with that small gesture of self-kindness something in us can open and offer us a bit of ease as we move into the new year.

Recently, during a conversation on my podcast Conscious Corner Podcast with Courtney, I found myself saying this out loud - almost as if I was giving myself a friendly little reminder while speaking:

“Given how busy the world is, and how constantly we’re doing things for others, we often don’t give ourselves time to slow down - even just our being here. We could have easily filled this hour helping clients or tending to others. But choosing to pause is what lets our nervous system settle. And when we feel calmer, clarity becomes possible. And then it’s like a domino effect -clarity is what allows us to have more agency over our life.”

That - right there - is why this newsletter exists. Not to add more to your plate. But to invite you to reclaim one small moment of agency… simply by slowing down enough to notice what you’re feeling and what you want to nourish in 2026.

During that same podcast episode, I spoke with two friends and colleagues - Jessie Brown, JD, PCC (Career & Executive Coach for Lawyers and former Big Law attorney) and Rachel Clar, Esq. (Founder of Interconnected Us, supporting women in Big Law to expand their influence, grow their book, and rise so they can clear the lights for others). Our conversation dives into questions many high-stress professionals never slow down long enough to ask:

• What happens when achievement becomes the only measure of worth?

• How do we know when we’re running on empty?

• What does it look like to honor what our bodies are telling us?

• And - perhaps most importantly - what does it take to begin again differently?

If you’d like to hear more of our honest conversation, you can listen to it now on Spotify or watch it on YouTube.

A Moment to Pause Together - January 7 (LinkedIn Live Lunch + Learn)

I know that sometimes slowing down is easier in community - when someone else is holding the container for you. On Wednesday, January 7, I’m hosting a LinkedIn Live Lunch + Learn from 12-1pm (ET) where we’ll slow down together and I’ll guide you through:

• A grounding practice you can use anytime - even during a demanding day

• Simple nervous-system reset techniques

• A powerful question to help you clarify what you want for 2026

I’m also really excited to be joined by Joyce Novotny-Prettiman, a litigator who previously took one of my mindfulness programs. She’ll share, from her own experience, how mindfulness supports her in working in a challenging, high-pressure field and how it’s helped her find more steadiness and fulfillment in her life.

👉 Save your spot!

If You Want Something More Sustained…

For some of us, one short Lunch + Learn workshop isn’t enough - we need structure, a rhythm, a place to land each week. That’s why enrollment is now open for my 6-Week Winter Mindfulness Program, built specifically for lawyers, leaders, and high-stress professionals who want to:

• Feel steadier in their body and mind

• Soften reactivity

• Reconnect with clarity

• And have support, instead of carrying it alone

Just one hour a week. Virtual and flexible. A space where slowing down becomes a habit and allows us to live with greater intentionality. The orientation session takes place later this month on January 30 via Zoom.

👉 Click here to learn more and register.

A Closing Thought

As you move into this new year, I hope you remember:

Clarity is not something we force or think our way into. It’s less analytical and more a felt sense that we can connect with when we create space for ourselves to just be. And slowing down - even for just 60 seconds - is the gateway.

I want to take a moment to thank you for being here, for reading this piece, and for supporting my mindfulness work. It means a lot to me and I’m deeply grateful for our connection. I look forward to supporting you in 2026 and wish you a year full of joy, good health and many moments of ease.

Warmly,

Courtney