For a long time, I thought January was supposed to feel energizing.

Fresh start.
Clean slate.
New goals. New habits. New version of myself.

But year after year, my body told a different story.

Instead of motivation, I felt slower. Quieter. More inward.
And honestly? Sometimes a little resistant to all the pressure to “figure it out.”

My journey through yoga has brought me to the wisdom of nature. And nature has a lot to teach us.

What I Used to Think an Intention Was

In yoga classes, we’re often invited to set an intention, or sankalpa, t the beginning of practice. I always interpreted this as something temporary and short-lived, like a word for the hour or a focus for the class.

And for a long time, that worked just fine.

But somewhere along the way, something shifted.

In a meditation a few years ago, I had a very clear realization:
A sankalpa isn’t meant to be replaced constantly. A sankalpa is meant to 'sit' with us for a while.

A sankalpa meant to be lived with.

That moment changed how I understand intention altogether.

Sankalpa Isn’t About Trying Harder

Sankalpa is often translated as a “sacred resolve,” but that can sound heavy or effort-filled. What I’ve come to understand is this:

A true sankalpa doesn’t come from the part of us that wants to fix ourselves.
It comes from the part of us that already knows.

It’s not about becoming someone new.
It’s about remembering something true, real, and aligned.

In practices like Yoga Nidra, a sankalpa is often chosen once and returned to again and again, sometimes for months, until it begins to take root in the body.

Not forced.
Not rushed.
Just repeated gently.

Why Winter Changed Everything for Me

Winter has taught me that clarity doesn’t arrive through pressure.

It arrives through space and stillness.

This season naturally invites us to slow down, turn inward, and listen more deeply. From a nervous system perspective, this makes so much sense; our systems are wired for rest and conservation right now, not constant output.

And yet, culturally, we’re told to do the opposite. (If you want to know more, research the Gregorian calendar and why we start the new year when we do.)

Culturally, we're taught to set resolutions. Push forward. Decide everything now.

No wonder so many of us feel disconnected or overwhelmed in January. It goes against our biology to operate that way in the season of winter.

Winter isn’t asking us to reinvent ourselves.
It’s asking us to sit with what’s already stirring.

Sankalpa vs. Resolution (In Real Life)

Here’s how it feels in my body:

A resolution feels tight.
A sankalpa feels spacious.

A resolution sounds like: “I should.”
A sankalpa sounds like: “I remember.”

Resolutions rely on discipline and effort.
Sankalpa relies on presence and repetition.

One drains energy.
The other gathers it.

Especially in winter, I’ve learned to trust the quieter voice.

What It Looks Like to Work With a Sankalpa Over Time

Instead of choosing a new intention every class or every week, I now invite myself, and my students and clients, to let one intention guide an entire season.

Some examples that often arise this time of year:

• I am rooted and supported.

• I trust my inner timing.

• I move from clarity, not pressure.

• I listen before I act.

These aren’t affirmations meant to convince the mind.
They’re truths meant to soak in slowly.

You don’t need to do anything with them yet.
Just let them live with you.

A Simple Winter Practice You Can Try

If you’d like to work with a sankalpa this season, here’s a gentle way to begin:

1. Get comfortable, sitting or lying down.

2. Place one hand on your heart, one on your belly.

3. Let your body soften before asking anything of your mind.

4. Ask quietly:
   What truth is ready to be lived slowly?

5. Let a short, present-tense phrase arise.

6. Return to it as an active practice, without pressure or expectation.

That’s it.

No forcing.
No timeline.
No performance.

A Closing Thought

Winter doesn’t ask us for answers. It doesn't ask us for striving.

It asks us for honesty.
For patience.
For reverence.

If you’re feeling resistant to big goals or bold declarations right now, you’re not behind—you’re in rhythm.

Let this be a season of sankalpa over striving.
Of listening over forcing.
Of remembering what’s already true.

Clarity will come.
But first, stillness.

If you’re feeling the pull to slow down, listen more deeply, and align your next season from the inside out, soul coaching offers a grounded space to explore what’s true for you, without pressure or fixing.

✨ Learn more about 1:1 coaching or schedule a complimentary exploration session.

For organizations seeking a more sustainable approach to leadership, clarity, and well-being, corporate wellness and leadership coaching supports teams in cultivating focus, balance, and nervous-system–informed work cultures, especially during seasons of transition.

✨ Explore corporate wellness programs, workshops, and speaking engagements.