Every January, the noise ramps up.

New goals.

New routines.

New identities being declared before the holiday dishes are even dry.

“New Year, New Me” is treated like a moral obligation, like if you’re not charging into January with a vision board, a 5am routine, and a brand-new identity, you’re already behind.

I don’t buy it.

In fact, I think it’s borderline toxic.

Not because growth is bad.

Not because ambition is wrong.

But because this narrative asks people to override their humanity in the name of productivity, and then quietly blames them when it doesn’t stick.

Winter Is a Season of Being, Not Doing

I’m deeply attuned to natural rhythms: of the earth, of the body, of the nervous system.

Winter is not the time for forcing change.

It’s a time for rest, reflection, and integration.

We don’t expect the earth to bloom in January.

We don’t look at bare trees and call them lazy.

We understand—intuitively—that something important is happening underground.

So why do we treat ourselves differently?

Mid-winter is not the season for grand gestures, aggressive pivots, or pressure-fuelled promises. It’s the season for listening. For noticing what feels heavy. For paying attention to what no longer fits. For being a human being, not a human doing.

This isn’t just spiritual philosophy.

It’s biology. It’s psychology. It’s nervous-system reality.

Our energy is lower.

The days are shorter.

Our systems are more inward-focused.

Trying to manufacture “go-getter energy” in the middle of winter isn’t discipline, it’s disconnection.

Why This Matters for Women Entrepreneurs

This belief doesn’t stop at life.

It applies directly to business, especially for women entrepreneurs, creatives, and service providers.

Right now, I’m not reinventing my business.

I’m not chasing a shiny new direction.

I’m not forcing momentum for the sake of appearances.

What I am doing is reflecting.

I’m noticing what feels steady.

I’m questioning what feels strained.

I’m integrating lessons from the last season before asking more from the next one.

Everything I’m putting out into the world right now is grounded. None of it is new. It’s clarified. Distilled. Aligned with the quieter energy this season actually calls for.

That kind of foundation-building doesn’t look flashy, but it lasts.

Spring Is the Season for Action (Not January)

In my experience, the most aligned time for bold action is spring.

The days are longer.

The light returns.

Energy increases; mentally, emotionally, and physically.

From a neuroscience and psychology perspective, this makes sense. When we have more light and movement, decision-making improves. Motivation stabilizes. Follow-through becomes easier.

Spring is when growth is meant to happen.

Winter is when foundations are built.

Reversing that order is one of the biggest reasons so many women entrepreneurs feel burned out by March and defeated by April.

Why Hustle Culture in January Sets People Up to Fail

I’ll be honest, the aggressive “lock in,” “no excuses,” “grind harder” energy that floods social media every January makes me roll my eyes.

Not because ambition is wrong, but because it ignores reality.

It asks people to sprint on empty.

It ignores emotional capacity, cognitive load, and real-life responsibilities.

And then it quietly suggests that if you can’t keep up, you are the problem.

That’s not leadership.

That’s negligence.

I reject that model entirely.

My work—my purpose—is about setting people up for sustainable success.

For my clients.

For my family.

For my kids.

For my community.

Why would we do it any other way?

The Foundations That Actually Create Sustainable Success

These are the values I’m bringing into this year, and into my work with clients:

• Compassion – for yourself and your capacity
• Companionship – because growth doesn’t happen alone
• Clarity – not hype, urgency, or pressure
• Confidence – built through structure and follow-through
• Sustainability – in energy, business, and life

These are not “soft” values.

They are stabilizing forces.

And they are what allow a business to support your life, not consume it.

A Different Way to Enter the New Year

If you want this year to be different, I’m not going to tell you to push harder.

I’m going to invite you to slow down, intentionally.

To reflect.

To integrate.

To plan in a way that actually works with real life and real energy.

Which brings me to something I’m hosting this January.

Plan the Quarter. Keep Your Life.

A Free, Realistic 12-Week Planning Session for Women Entrepreneurs

If the traditional New Year planning frenzy feels misaligned—but you still want clarity and momentum—this session was designed for you.

🗓 January 15

⏰ 10:30am EST

📍 Virtual (Zoom)

⏱ 90 minutes

💸 Free | Limited capacity

This live workshop is for women entrepreneurs who want to:

• Simplify their goals without playing small
• Stop overcommitting and start following through
• Plan Q1 in a way that works with real life (and real energy)
• Build a business that supports their life—not the other way around

Rooted in The ONE Thing and The 12 Week Year, and thoughtfully adapted to be neurodivergent- and ADHD-friendly, this session focuses on clarity over hustle and sustainability over pressure.

You’ll leave with:

• A clear, realistic Q1 plan
• Prioritized focus
• Built-in accountability
• Zero shame, urgency, or grind culture

👉 Save your seat and plan your quarter like a human.

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/FPRYmnN0SoSTzDP-Eof3Rw 

(This workshop will be hosted quarterly.)

Keeping It Real

Action will come.

Growth will come.

Momentum will come.

… winter is not the season to force it.

Choosing not to hustle right now is not a failure.

It’s wisdom.

Rest. Reflect. Root.

That’s where real power—and sustainable success—is built.

~~~

🔀 Follow Shauna Van Mourik – I’m sometimes funny, mostly endearing, and always thinking up new ways to make the world a better place.