Reflections on the Winter Solstice and What’s Next for 2025

🌞 The Winter Solstice has me thinking about the dark, the light, and everything in between—especially the messy growth we all experience. As the longest night of the year, it's also inherently hopeful. The sun will return tomorrow and from then on each day will be a moment longer. It's incremental, but assured.

As the longest night passes, I find myself reflecting on the long nights of this past year. 2024 was a doozy, wasn’t it? There's some mysterious part of me that pushes me ever towards growth. I'm not trying to paint myself as some sort of saintly tsunami of transformation—it's very much an ugly process. I dive in with my face twisted into a grimace, often muttering under my breath, "well, this is going to fucking hurt." And it does hurt. And it’s so very messy. Life seems to be gloriously full of both pain and mess.

But I don’t know another way, and quite honestly, I know that the reason I do any of it is so I can offer the experience I gain to anyone else who will need it. The thought that "this is going to be helpful to someone else at some point" is sometimes the only thing that allows me to jump back into the meat grinder of life. So, not to guilt trip you or anything, but… you’re welcome? 😅

Themes of 2024: Community, Ethics, and Liberation

The big themes of 2024 for me were largely about community, ethics, disability justice, and power. Truly, these have been ongoing themes for me for at least the last 20 years. They're not just abstract ideas for me—they are the driving forces behind how I approach the work I do and how I am in the world.

The result is some pretty exciting shifts on the work front and ever-deeper confirmation and clarity that the work I have to offer is about equity and liberation. I've been coaching people on embodiment and a connection with their inner knowing for the last 13 years, and it only becomes clearer with every passing year that the most crucial element of a free and transformative life—and caring, sustainable communities—begins with the ability to sense into one's own internal yes and no.

When you are resolutely respecting your limits, there’s less need to protect yourself from other people. When your commitment is first and foremost to honoring your own individual capacity, it changes your ability to show up more authentically in your relationships.

Self-Care as the Foundation for Liberation

I know sometimes people read my content and assume I'm beating the same hyper-individualistic self-care drum as everyone else in the self-development space. And what I'm actually always saying is that we start with self-care, with attention to our needs, with connection to our personal experience of delight so that we can support community care. The goal is liberation for all.

Self-care, as I see it, isn’t about building walls around ourselves—it’s about creating the conditions for connection. By listening to our internal yes and no, we’re not just caring for ourselves; we’re laying the groundwork for healthier relationships and stronger, more equitable communities.

The Shift to In-Person Work

To support that goal, I’m shifting away from online offerings in 2025 to in-person workshops and experiences. I can’t tell you how excited I am! After years of working online, I miss in-person experiences. Being human in human bodies together doesn't just create new learning opportunities—it creates rich, spontaneous moments of connection that happen in the quiet in-betweens.

Gathering around the front door and chatting while pulling on our shoes during lunch break. A shared spontaneous conversation that starts with a groan and a sigh after a particularly deep insight. It's the small, unplanned interactions which become the glue that fosters connection, grounding the learning in shared humanity and creating moments of ease and camaraderie.

There’s something powerful about gathering in shared space, and I can't wait to bring that energy into my work in the coming year.

Announcing My First In-Person Workshop!

What: Foundations of Connection
When: January 11th, 10:30 am–3:30 pm
Where: My newly renovated workshop space in Essex, CT
Why: Strengthen your inner barometer to make aligned choices and foster authentic connections.

Foundations of Connection is an entry-level practice in listening to your yes and no—the internal signals that guide your choices and help you align with what feels true for you. You will come to experience your inner voice and trust it on an embodied level.

This mini-retreat is an interactive group experience revolving around some of my favorite exercises selected for their simplicity and efficacy and how easy it will be for you to take them with you and continue your practice with others. It is designed to be accessible to many mobility levels, and accommodations will be made wherever needed. Please get in touch if you have concerns about accessibility.

Space is very limited, so keep an eye out for more information and the registration link in the next few days.

Volunteer Opportunity: January 4th Mini-Training

In order to effectively facilitate these types of experiences I need the support of a few trained asssitants. If you’re excited about helping create these powerful spaces, join me on January 4th for a mini-training! It’s a chance to deepen your practice, gain new insights, and help foster transformation for others—all while enjoying reduced admission to future events.

An Invitation to Reflect

I can’t wait to connect with you in person soon. In the meantime, keep an eye out for more updates and feel free to share this with a friend who might love the chance to explore their own yes and no.

What’s one area in your life where tuning into your yes or no could create more clarity or connection? I’d love to hear your thoughts—leave a comment or share with me directly.

🕯️ Until then, wishing you warmth and light in this season of beginnings.

xoxo,
Amelia