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Hey friend,
There’s something strangely peaceful about this time of year — when everything feels half on pause, half in motion. Work slows down, plans pick up, and suddenly your days exist somewhere between reflection and routine.
I’ve been calling it the in-between season. That sweet, subtle limbo before the year officially ends. It’s not about finishing strong; it’s about softening into what is.
The In-Between Season
This week has felt like one long exhale. I’ve been spending my mornings a little slower, letting the to-do lists shrink and the moments stretch. Motivation comes in waves, and honestly, I’m learning to ride them instead of fight them.
There’s a calmness in accepting that not every season needs momentum. Sometimes, the best kind of progress looks like taking inventory of what’s worked, what hasn’t, and what no longer needs to come with you.
This “in-between” is where the clarity usually shows up quietly, and without trying.
What’s on my cozy reset list this week
☕️ Morning ritual: A chai moment with David’s Tea Organic Saigon Chai — spiced, cozy, and just grounding enough to wake me up gently and reminds me of winter in California.
💆🏻♀️ Skin care: The Quench Hydrating Serum by Root + Renew — still my barrier hero for cold-air hydration. Use code WELCOME15 for 15% off your first order.
🧘♀️ Mind reset: The Muse 2 meditation headband is one of my fave tools that is biofeedback that keeps me honest about how calm I actually am. If you’re a data nerd like me, you’ll love this for your meditation session!
💡 At-home movement: Open App for breath-to-movement sessions or Pvolve when I want low-impact sculpting that still burns and for those rainy, cold days where it’s a bit much to go for a run or my local fitness studio.
🔴 Skin recovery: A LED red-light mask (I’ve been using the Dr. Dennis Gross — DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro 3 one) 10 minutes of glow therapy while journaling.
📔 Reflection tool: The Life Designer Journal by Intelligent Change offers prompts that make reflection feel purposeful, not performative. Perfect for closing the year and welcoming 2026.
🧠 Currently practicing…
Protecting my peace by planning less. Lately, I’ve noticed that when I over-schedule myself — socially or creatively — I leave no room for spontaneity. I’m giving that space back.
It’s not laziness; it’s clarity. Saying no early keeps my energy clean, and the unstructured time that’s left always fills itself with the right things… better ideas, better rest, better boundaries.
A moment to reflect
Maybe the in-between isn’t a waiting room; maybe it’s the whole point, the pause that preps you for what’s next.
Ask yourself: What if you stopped trying to close the year perfectly and instead just let it fade out quietly?
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Until Sunday! Here’s to softer schedules, slower mornings, and rituals that hold you steady through the noise. Tag @wellnessbum on Threads and share your moment your version of slowing down, warming up, and finding your calm again.
Here’s to quiet plans that fill your cup.
Valerie