FORGET BEING HYPER PRODUCTIVE

I’ve been in hibernation.

For the first time in 17 years, I didn’t spend my fall juggling family photo sessions for holiday cards, frantically chasing golden hour like it was the last bus out of town.

This year, I slowed down and actually noticed the leaves falling and gorgeous afternoon light filtering through branches. 

I didn’t check my weather app obsessively, desperate to reschedule shoots. If it rained, I took it as a sign to light a fire and snuggle up, not panic-text clients like my livelihood depended on it (because it used to).

For the first time in nearly two decades, I truly enjoyed fall. Deeply. Like, felt-it-in-my-bones enjoyed it.

And as November slid into December, I let the days drift by without trying to cram in more. There was no holiday hustle, no self-imposed pressure to be everything to everyone.

If you missed it, I was a family photographer before stepping into this new role as an educator and mentor for midlife moms. It’s a career I loved, one that gave me so much. But last year, I finally let it go.

Why? Because it was time.

Time to lean wholly into what lights me up now.
Time to face the uncharted territory of mentoring moms through midlife.
Time to practice what I preach about finding fulfillment and ease in these years.

But when January crept closer, I felt the familiar panic bubbling up.

The New Year’s grind whispered, “Shouldn’t you be doing more? Making a list? Creating new goals? Hustling?” 

Because that’s what January is, right? A cultural boot camp for productivity.

I felt guilty for slowing down, even though I knew better.

But here’s a question: what if nature does it right? What if we lived in seasons instead of forcing alignment with predetermined calendars? 

Winter isn’t the time for big moves; it’s the time for rest. Renewal. Reflection. 

Celeste Headlee’s book Do Nothing was a revelation for me, reinforcing that we’re allowed to slow down when the days are dark and cold. It’s okay to match our pace to the season, saving the big pushes for when the sun and energy return.

And honestly, how are we supposed to set meaningful resolutions in January, right after the holiday chaos? It’s like trying to map out your future while scrambling to clean the house before guests arrive—rushed, distracted, and a little sweaty.

No wonder most resolutions fail within a month or two. Maybe it’s not because people lack discipline but because they haven’t had the space to reflect on what they want… to figure out what really matters and why. 

So this year, I’m doing it differently. 

I’m using January and February to reflect and March to plan, so when April hits and the leaf buds pop, I’ll be ready to do the same. 

And invite you to do the same. To fogo the cultural productivity push and instead go inward. At least until the days get a little longer and grass a little greener.

So I’m curious: Does the idea of seasonal living resonate with you? Could it help you feel freer and less pressured? Let me know—I’d love to hear your thoughts.