Every January, we’re handed the same script.
Lose weight.
Drink less.
Pray more.
New Year’s resolutions are often built on sheer willpower, even mind over matter.
And the subtle message if you fail at resolving to be your best you? Shame on you for not trying harder.
What if the deeper invitation of the new year isn’t exhausting effort, but attunement?
How do I retune? you ask. Consider:
-Where do I notice a gentle inner yes…in my body, not just my thoughts?
-What does my heart most need right now…connection, rest, belonging, meaning, dignity?
-What relationships or practices give me life…and which quietly drain it?
-Which choices reflect my truest self, and which are coping strategies in disguise?
-What is the one core thing I long for amidst the many things that demand my attention?
-What is one small, faithful step today that honors my heart, body, and mind?
Not ten sure-fire steps. Not a mind-over-matter plan to change your life in 30 days.
But tender, gentle, attuned movements of listening attentively and acting intentionally.
This is the kind of inner spiritual and emotional formation that works with us in both body and soul, not against us.
(Abridged from today’s Substack | link below)
New Year’s Longings: Leaving Resolutions Behind | Listening from the Heart https://t.co/l93kuqH6O9
A new RECOVER study of 6.4M health records shows Long COVID risk has not decreased from 2020–2024. Incidence stayed stable across variants, reinforcing Long COVID as an ongoing public health priority.
Read the study: https://t.co/RN66kGhyxM
Masks always have been, and are still worth wearing.
COVID is an airborne virus. It spreads through shared air — often from people who don’t yet feel sick or never develop symptoms at all. Masking works because it filters the air we breathe, reducing how much virus we inhale and exhale.
Vaccines remain an essential layer of protection, but they don’t reliably prevent infection or transmission on their own. Masks add a critical layer where other protections fall short — especially indoors and in crowded spaces.
Not all masks are equal. Fit and filtration matter. And choosing effective masks is one of the simplest ways to reduce risk for yourself and others.
One of the reasons why I go so hard on science misinformation/disinformation, is that as a working scientist it is frustrating to see your research misreported to push an agenda.
For example, consider this piece of right-wing propaganda from The Telegraph that was just published
When people practice manifesting, they emphasize the individual’s power to create their own reality. Unfortunately this ignores that God is the sovereign provider.
“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.” Proverbs 19:21