Finding Balance: Reflections on Rest, Creativity, and Intentions for the Year Ahead

This holiday break was just what I needed. I feel recharged and ready to dive back into work.
We didn’t go anywhere this year, but staying in with no big plans or agenda was wonderful. Time with family and friends, some projects around the house, and creative pursuits filled my days. I deliberately stayed off my phone as much as I could. I did QiGong and TaiChi, played piano, and read every day. I even finished two fiction books—something I haven’t done in months! I sketched and drew almost daily, went skiing once (before the cold kicked in), and allowed myself to rest when my body needed comfort.
One of the highlights was New Year’s Eve. It was magical - just family, parents, and kids, sharing quiet joy together. I meditated deeply and often during this time. My brain and my soul both feel rested.
Vacation brain is happy and content. And now, I’m ready to begin again.
My Intentions for This Year
Last year, I lost my balance. Work took up so much of my time that I started feeling like I was running on empty. This year, I’m setting the intention to reclaim life-work balance - intentionally creating space for what nourishes me, body and soul.
• Piano Lessons
This year, I’m finally committing to piano lessons. The last time I took lessons was over a decade ago, and since then, I’ve picked it up here and there but never stuck with it. Now I’m making the time because it feels like an offering to my soul.
• Yoga and TaiChi
I’m continuing my yoga teacher training this year, and I’ve rediscovered a love for TaiChi and QiGong. They’ve been a grounding and energizing force in my life, so I plan to practice them at least twice a week.
• NeuroGraphica Training
One of the things I’m most excited about is finishing my certification in NeuroGraphica. This approach, created in Russia, combines art, neuroscience, mindfulness, therapy, coaching, intuition, and spirituality. After spending so much time in the “left brain” world of logic and analysis, reconnecting with my creative, intuitive side has been a gift.
My intention is to connect more deeply with my body through yoga and TaiChi, and with my soul through art and music.
Professional Growth Goals
Of course, I also have professional goals. I’m always reading, learning, and growing in my work as a therapist and coach. This year, I plan to:
• Complete a course on anxiety.
• Dive deeper into emotional intelligence. As much as I learn, there's always seems to be more.
• Explore new somatic approaches through a course with Peter Levine on Trauma and Memory. Just listening to this man talk is therapeutic. So much kindness.
• I have a course on Mental Health and Nutrition to complete. Something I'm very passionate about, and has such a vast amount of information, that's often missing in modern approach to psychology. We can't ignore the body.
• This might not happen this year, or it might evolve into something else entirely, but I am inspired to explore Jungian Psychology and Depth Psychology. After reading The Middle Passage: From Misery to Meaning in Midlife by Jungian Psychologist James Hollis, and finding myself in my own version of a "Middle Passage", I'm excited to learn more.
I feel so grateful to work in a field where learning is endless.
How I Plan to Stay Intentional
As I reflect on this break and my plans for the year, I’m reminded of how much I benefit from rest, play, and creative expression. My goal is to stay intentional about carving out time for these things—even when life gets busy.
What’s something you’re intentionally making space for this year?