You're listening to Life Kit from npr.
Hey, everybody, it's Marielle.
I don't know if y'all have ever felt this way, but a lot of the time between Christmas and New Year's, I get really gloomy.
Life is so busy all the time.
Too busy, really.
And then during that week, it comes to a standstill, right?
The merriment of the holidays with all the bright lights and the cooking and the crafts, that's basically over.
Plus, you might be traveling, visiting relatives, sleeping in a bed that's not your own.
It's like you're suspended in time, waiting for your normal life to start again in the new year with all the pressure and emotion that can bring.
But this week, it doesn't have to feel so eerie.
It can actually be a golden opportunity to get quiet and turn inward, to reflect on where you're at and where you're headed.
I want to shake loose the past and actually lean into the future, but I want to shape the future as well, not just let the future happen.
That's the Buddhist teacher Lama Rod Owens.
On this episode of Life Kit, how to slow down and reflect Ahead of the new year.
Reporter Kyle Norris talked to lamarad and to an artist who makes graphic novels, and they'll all share ideas and exercises that you can use this week to transition.
Hey, quick question.
How are your holidays?
Did you have a good time?
Maybe too good of a time?
It's normal to have a couple extra drinks around the holidays, but maybe you're thinking it's time to take a break.