We’re now more than a week into the new year.
For many people, this is the moment when the initial softness of the holidays has worn off and the pressure to “get back on track” starts to creep in. Routines resume. Work resumes. And often, so does the urge to fix ourselves; to undo what we think we did wrong over the past few weeks.
This time of year can quietly invite a kind of urgency:
Move more. Eat better. Be more disciplined. Try harder.
But what if this year didn’t begin with pressure?
What if, instead of resolutions rooted in self-criticism, we approached the year through devotion to the body?
From Resolution to Devotion
Resolutions often come from a belief that something about us needs correcting. Devotion, on the other hand, comes from relationship.
For me, devotion feels slower, kinder, and far more sustainable. It’s not about doing everything perfectly. It’s about showing up again and again with care, curiosity, and respect for what the body is actually asking for.
This year, rather than setting rigid goals, I’m choosing a series of body devotions, practices that support my nervous system, my energy, and my overall wellbeing. While I’ll weave all of them throughout the year, I’m allowing one primary devotion to guide each quarter, aligned with the seasons.
Winter: Rest & Supportive Sleep
In winter, my devotion is to rest, with a particular focus on supportive sleep hygiene.
This looks like slowing down in the mornings and giving myself more spacious transitions into the day. It also means being more mindful in the evenings; asking what future Laura might need to feel supported tomorrow morning.
Sometimes that means going to bed earlier. Sometimes it means preparing things in advance. Sometimes it means doing less. Rest, in this season, is not something to earn; it’s something to practice.
Spring: Movement as Expression
As spring arrives, my devotion will gently shift toward movement.
Dancing, yoga, and eventually some strength training; not as punishment or productivity, but as expression and support. I’m allowing myself to move lightly now, trusting that energy naturally builds as the seasons change.
Rather than forcing momentum in winter, I’m letting it arrive when my body is ready.
Summer: Nourishment Beyond the Moment
In summer, my focus will turn toward nourishment.
Hydration. Nutrient-rich foods. Eating in ways that support my body not just in the moment, but hours and days later. This devotion is about listening to how food affects my energy, mood, and digestion; and choosing nourishment that helps me feel steady, alive, and well-resourced.
Autumn: Self-Touch & Massage
As the year begins to turn inward again, my devotion will be to self-touch and massage.
Regular body oiling. Face massage. Receiving supportive bodywork when possible. After a year of nourishment from within, this is a way of nourishing the body from the outside; tending to tissues, skin, and the quiet places that hold so much.
A Year of Sustainable Self-Love
The overarching intention for this year is supportive, sustainable self-love.
Not the kind that burns bright and fades quickly, but the kind that builds slowly and steadily. The kind that creates trust between you and your body. The kind that reminds us we are worthy of the time, thoughtfulness, and energy these practices require.
You don’t need to change everything at once.
You don’t need to start perfectly.
You don’t need to be harder on yourself to be devoted.
If you’re feeling called to reflect as well, I’ll leave you with a gentle question:
What devotion would you like to bring into your life this year, one that supports you where you are right now?