What This Year Asked Me to Listen To...

What This Year Asked Me to Listen To

As this year comes to a close, I find myself less interested in summing it all up—and more interested in becoming quiet so I can listen.

This time as December draws to a close and January lurks around the corner I find if I pause and really slow down, the edges have a way of softening the edges. The pace shifts. The noise thins. What once felt urgent begins to loosen its grip. And in that quieter space, a different question emerges:

What was this year trying to teach me… and was I listening?

This wasn’t a year that asked me to move faster or do more. It asked something far subtler—and far braver.

It asked me to pause, breath, listen, and be courageous in moving toward what feels right and true.

Listening Beyond the Noise

Much of my life has been shaped by forward non-stop motion—planning, producing, creating, leading. These are gifts, and they’ve built meaningful work and community. But this year reminded me that motion without listening can quietly disconnect us from ourselves and our truth.

I've learned that listening, isn’t passive. Rather it is an active practice of presence.

I have come to believe that when we hurry the body tightens.

I am learning that when I honor the quiet “no” alongside the enthusiastic “yes,” I find clarity. 

A clarity that arrives on its own timeline rather than demanding it on mine.

What I have discovered it that some of the most important answers this year didn’t come through effort. They came through stillness.

What Slowed Me Down

This year slowed me in ways I didn’t always welcome at first.

I was slowed by noticing my fatigue, uncertainty, and when the next step wasn’t immediately clear.

And yet—these moments and pauses became teachers.

These moments showed me where I was carrying expectations that weren’t mine anymore. They revealed how often I equated consistency with my worth. I am learning to trust that depth matters more than frequency.

Deeper listening required releasing the pressure to constantly prove something—especially to myself.

The Quiet Wins

Not every victory arrives with applause.

Some of the most meaningful moments this year looked like:

• Choosing presence over productivity
• Allowing rest without guilt
• Letting an idea take shape slowly rather than forcing it into form
• Staying with a feeling long enough to understand what it was asking for

These were not headline or marque moments. I noticed that they were foundational ones.

They reminded me that a life—and a body—thrives when it is heard.

Carrying This Forward

With December rolling into January and a new year, I ind I’m holding less tightly to outcomes and more intentionally to qualities:

• Listening.
• Spaciousness.
• Integrity.
• Connection.

You may notice this reflected in the rhythm of my writing here as well. Rather than my weekly reflections, which seemed to slow down this month. I’ll be sharing every couple of weeks—allowing more room for integration, depth, and what wants to emerge naturally.

This feels aligned. Grounded. Honest.

This year also reminded me that compassion isn’t something we offer only to others—it’s something we practice inwardly, often in quiet moments like this.

A Year-End Listening Practice

Before you move on, I invite you to pause for a moment.
Not to solve anything—just to listen.

Place one hand on your heart.
Take a slow breath in… and an even slower breath out.

Again if you wish.

Then gently ask yourself:

• What has this year been asking me to acknowledge?
• Where have I been carrying more than I needed to?
• What feels tender, unfinished, or quietly hopeful as I step toward the new year?

Write down a word, a phrase, or simply notice what arises.
There is nothing to fix here. Only something to be heard.

Listening Together

If these questions stirred something in you, you’re not alone.

In January, I’ll be participating in the Compassionate Conversations Summit—a free, online gathering created for anyone moving through transition, uncertainty, grief, or quiet longing.

Over five days, heart-centered guides and teachers will offer gentle practices, reflections, and conversations designed to help you feel steadier, less alone, and more supported as the year begins.

If you’re craving a space where listening is honored and compassion leads the way, this may be a meaningful next place to land.

You can learn more and join us January 19 - 25 online. You may register here: Summit Link

And whether or not you attend, may you trust what your listening reveals.
It’s already guiding you.