Letting the Year Begin Slowly
- Jettie LPC
- Jan 1
- 3 min read
Why slowing down might be the most supportive place to begin
January is supposed to feel fresh. But for many people, it feels loud. Not externally loud, but internally. Your mind might already be running ahead. Your body may feel tense before the day even starts. You might notice yourself feeling impatient, tired, or emotionally distant, even though nothing is technically “wrong.”
This is often the moment people wonder why they cannot get themselves together yet.
What is usually happening is not a lack of discipline or gratitude. It is a nervous system that has not had time to come out of protection mode.
Renewal does not begin with urgency. It begins when your body feels safe enough to be present.
EMDR: Why Urgency Shows Up So Fast
Urgency often feels like internal pressure to hurry, fix, or get ahead before something goes wrong. You might notice it as racing thoughts, difficulty resting, or feeling uneasy when things slow down.
From an EMDR informed perspective, urgency is a learned response. When your nervous system has spent long periods responding to stress, responsibility, or emotional demand, it learns to stay alert. New beginnings can activate this pattern automatically, even when there is no immediate threat.
This means your body may be responding to the memory of pressure rather than the reality of the present moment. EMDR helps people understand and soften these responses by supporting the nervous system in recognizing that it is safe to slow down now.
When urgency eases, presence becomes possible again.
Somatic Therapy: Listening to What the Body Is Already Saying
The body often speaks before the mind catches up. Tension in the shoulders, shallow breathing, heaviness in the chest, or restlessness are common signals that the nervous system is still on guard.
Somatic therapy focuses on noticing these sensations without trying to fix or override them. When people learn to respond to their body with curiosity instead of pushing through, the nervous system begins to settle.
This settling can feel subtle at first. Breathing becomes easier. The body feels slightly less tight. Thoughts slow enough to be organized. These are not small changes. They are signs that safety is returning.
Psalm 139: Being Known Without Needing to Hurry
Psalm 139 reminds us that God knows us completely. Not just our intentions, but our physical limits, our emotional patterns, and our need for rest. This Scripture offers reassurance that you do not have to rush your healing or perform calm in order to be seen.
God meets you in the moments when your body is still catching up. He is present in the pauses, in the uncertainty, and in the places where you are learning to slow down.
Stillness is not falling behind. It is allowing yourself to be where you actually are.
An Invitation to Begin Differently
If you find yourself tired of pushing, tired of managing your emotions on your own, or tired of feeling like you should be further along by now, you are not alone.
Support can help you understand what your nervous system has been carrying and how to move into this year with more steadiness and care. You do not need to have the right words or a clear plan. You just need a place where your body does not have to stay on alert.
References
This work explains how the nervous system stores and responds to past experiences of pressure and stress.
Provides a foundation for understanding how physical sensations reflect nervous system states.
Explores how safety and threat shape emotional and physiological responses.
Affirms being fully known and met by God in every internal state.
Comments