Leaning Into Fall & Finding Stillness as We Prepare for a New Year
The air is shifting. The days feel a little shorter, the evenings a little cooler, and suddenly we find ourselves standing at the edge of fall. For many of us, this season feels like both an ending and a beginning, a time to let go of what no longer serves us while preparing to step into something new.
And yet, it’s hard to ignore the reality of where we are as a country right now. The news cycle is heavy. The constant stream of division, uncertainty, and rapid change can leave us feeling unmoored, reactive, and emotionally drained. It’s no wonder so many of us are craving peace, clarity, and grounding as we close out the year.
Fall offers us a natural invitation to slow down. To pause. To take stock of what has grown, what needs pruning, and what deserves our energy moving forward. Just as the trees shed their leaves without resistance, we, too, can release the weight we’ve been carrying like, fear, resentment, old habits, or even the pressure to have it all figured out.
This season, I encourage you to create small, intentional rituals that help you root yourself in the present moment, no matter what chaos swirls outside. Maybe it’s starting your mornings with quiet reflection instead of scrolling. Maybe it’s a walk among the changing leaves. Maybe it’s giving yourself permission to breathe deeply before responding to the next email, headline, or demand on your time.
Grounding ourselves isn’t about ignoring what’s happening in the world, it’s about reminding ourselves that we still have agency over how we show up in it. When we tend to our inner world, we find strength to move with intention in the outer one.
That’s part of why I created A Soft Minute, a daily practice designed to help us reconnect with ourselves, even when the world feels loud. I want it to serve as a gentle reminder: you don’t need hours of stillness to reset. Sometimes one minute, done consistently and with care is enough to help you breathe, center, and step into your day with renewed clarity.
As we lean into fall and look toward the new year, may we carry this truth with us: chaos may be inevitable, but peace is always possible.
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." — John 14:27