The Paradox Of The New Year

Permission to keep sleeping until Spring

Dear Reader,

Here we are on the other side of the so-called New Year, summoned from our winter burrows by the Gregorian calendar, encouraged to set fresh intentions and commit ourselves to improved routines. And yet nature still sleeps, tucked tightly into the middle of the season, alarm clock set for March.

I’m a believer that we can always choose when to start anew. On a birthday. On a Monday. At 2:17pm on any random, particularly challenging day. New Year’s Day feels like this. It’s not the winter solstice, marking the return of the light. It’s not a new moon, as celebrated at Lunar New Year. It’s not the beginning of the astrological cycle. It’s not the first day of spring, when nature awakens from its slumber. Rather, it’s a collectively agreed upon date in the middle of winter for envisioning the year ahead.

I personally take this time for dreaming over action. December is for reflection while January takes the pieces and tries to make some sense of them. By March — come spring and Aries season — the vision for the year is clearer and I’m ready to set out from the winter cave with a fire in my belly.

Much like committing to actionable resolutions in the dead of winter, I am currently living out my own paradox this season. In December I took a pivot and accepted a position working a corporate job. I am commuting an hour and a half, filling my gas tank more frequently than I have in years, on my feet up to nine hours a day and currently working busy shifts through overwhelming staff illness and call-outs. I’m in my grind era 🫠

Why, when I send you weekly love letters in celebration of a slow and soft life and curate well-made treasures that support living in deeper connection and intention to the world around you, why would I sign up for life in the fast lane? To feed the dream, dear reader. This temporary abandonment of my ideals is for the sake of finally, someday materializing my life-long shop and gathering space vision. (And it’s also for the good health insurance). Until the next physical home of Hina Luna/Nido reveals itself to me, I will be saving for its manifestation. Saving to invest in my ideal vocational life. The one that requires commitment of time, resources, energy and passion as well as an acceptance for volatility, but returns to me the spaciousness I desire and the gift of creating a beautiful, inspiring, welcoming place to invite you into.

Until then, dear reader, I will be elevating my feet at night and dreaming without bounds.

Some reflection questions for the new year —

Honest answers only.

Circle one: What is my energy level at this point in the season? A. Ready to take action B. Shh…I’m still dreaming

Ins and Outs list: What am I inviting in for this coming year? What am I releasing and ready to say goodbye to?

A wish for your future self: What do I hope to achieve/experience for myself this year?

Considering my answer to the above question, what can I do/practice/remember/commit myself to that will help bring this wish into fruition? What is my “why”? In other words, what is my motivator for taking this action in my life?

Wishing you all good things this new year (and on all the others).

P.S. Most of the treasures in Hina Luna’s Winter Shop are now discounted. Consider this my first action item of the new year: clearing out for the next iteration of the online shop vision.