This is the time of year when cultural messaging implores us to “hustle” so we can “finish the year strong.”
It’s the myth of the December 31 finish line, and the idea that we should sprint to the end.
And then what?
Don’t get me wrong: There’s certainly a potent symbolism to turning the page and beginning a new year.
I love to crack open a new notebook and softly caress the fresh clean pages that await the stroke of my pen. I relish the potential that exists in an unmarked physical calendar.
But the idea that we need to sprint to some magic finish line at the end of December is destructive, not to mention illusory.
Whenever I hear that admonition to race to the finish line, I wonder:
What happens when you get there?
The whole concept of sprints is that in theory they put us in position to “get ahead.”
This idea of racing to the finish also is at odds with the reality of the rhythm of the seasons. Life plays out in cycles; everything comes back around. There is no “ahead” or “behind.”
We need to redefine what it means to “finish strong.” In life, nothing is finished until you’re no longer breathing.
So it’s not about finishing strong, but rather it’s about sustaining strength.
In the rhythm of the seasons, this is the time of year to slow down, if not stop completely. It’s a time to go inward for deep rest and restoration, to reflect and dream. Winter is a time for being in stillness, not for doing or sprinting.
When we honor the rhythms of the seasons, we can create and live more sustainably.
Life is not a race. You don’t win any prizes for sliding into December 31 exhausted and depleted.
Give yourself permission to let go of the deadlines and instead harness the energy of the moment to rest.
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