December’s two rhythms

December carries two rhythms at once.

On the outside: deadlines, lists, lights.

On the inside: a quiet pull to slow down and listen.

Nature is already in winter mode.

It turns inward, stores energy, prepares the soil.

Meanwhile we are still speeding up, trying to finish everything before the year closes.

That tension is real.

The push and the pull.

The noise and the silence.

We often think we need to choose between them, but maybe the art of this month is learning to hold both.

Staying present in the movement while keeping a small corner of stillness alive inside.

Here are three simple practices to help you navigate this season.

Soft, light, doable in a full month.

1. Micro-silence in the middle of movement

Silence doesn’t have to be long.

It can be thirty seconds before you open your laptop

or one slow breath before your next meeting.

Tiny pauses interrupt the rush.

They bring you back to yourself.

Try:

Place one hand on your chest.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Then continue.

A small ritual that calms your nervous system, even when the day stays busy.

2. Let your body set the pace

The mind accelerates in December.

The body knows the real rhythm.

Tight shoulders, shallow breathing, a sense of being stretched thin…

These are not cues to push harder.

They are invitations to soften.

Try:

Ask yourself once a day:

What does my body need right now?

A stretch.

A sip of tea.

Two minutes of stillness.

Small signals.

Big shifts.

3. Go on a date with your inner winter

December is not only a month of wrapping up.

It’s also a month of turning inward.

You don’t need a full day.

One hour can already open space.

A moment to make quiet stock of the year:

What nourished me?

What drained me?

What do I want to carry into next year?

What can I leave behind?

Try:

Block one hour in your calendar now.

Guard it like a gift to yourself.

A pocket of silence inside a loud season.

December asks us to move and to rest at the same time.

To finish, to celebrate, to prepare

and to listen to the winter rhythm living inside us.

Maybe leadership begins right there.

In the pause before the next move.

In that moment where you sense what wants to emerge.

If you feel inspired to turn this reflection into a steady practice,

you are welcome in our Ecosystem Leadership Group.

A place where silence is as important as strategy

and where reflection becomes second nature.

Photo by Gennadi Zakharin on Unsplash.