Tending to What Came Up: Balancing the Past with Your Future
By mid-January, the initial rush of the new year often slows down, and the “dust” from the holidays finally begins to settle. This is usually when we start to notice the emotional residue—the lingering tension from a family comment, the fatigue from over-extending ourselves, or the old patterns that surfaced during the break.
It’s tempting to try and “push through” and focus only on the future, but ignoring what came up usually means it will just resurface later. Tending to these feelings isn’t about stuckness; it’s about clearing the path so you can actually move forward.
🧠 Noticing the Residue
Instead of treating your history and your future as two separate things, try to see how they interact. Here is how to practically balance the two:
Acknowledge the “Stuff” (Interoception): Take a moment to check in with your physical state. Do you feel a tightness when you think about a specific event from December? That’s your nervous system holding onto a piece of the past. Simply naming it: “I’m still feeling a bit braced from that conversation”, helps take the power out of it.
Separate the Then from the Now: Ask yourself: “Is the stress I’m feeling right now about today’s tasks, or is it a leftover feeling from two weeks ago?” Often, we apply “holiday stress” to “January work,” creating unnecessary burnout.
Adjust Your Pace: If you realized over the break that your system is more taxed than you thought, give yourself permission to adjust your January goals. Real progress is built on a foundation of how you actually feel, not how you think you should feel.
✨ Staying Present
Tending to what came up doesn’t mean you have to dive into a deep “therapy session” every time you feel a spark of tension. It just means you aren’t leaving parts of yourself behind. When you acknowledge the residue, you free up the energy you need to focus on what’s right in front of you.
📣 Ready to Practice?
If the holidays brought up more than you expected, you don’t have to navigate it alone. Whether in the Junction or virtually across Canada, we can work on balancing that history with the future you’re building.
⚖️Disclaimer: This post is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for therapy, diagnosis, or medical advice. Learn more at interocare.ca
