Last week, I wrote about “The Taint.” That quiet, magical threshold between what was and what will be.

And we are on the other side! I’m sure your inbox/algorithm,whatever is filled with the “New Year, New You” movement screaming at you to sprint, sweat, and overhaul your entire existence immediately.

AND if we look at this through the lens of exercise science, which you know is exactly what I’m going to do right now, this is exactly how people get injured.

You don’t just join a gym on January 1st and then walk up to a heavy barbell and heave it overhead. You’d look around first! Check out the landscape of the gym. And you’d do this for multiple reasons.

Reason #1: You’re a human so you’d probably check if there’s someone who clearly knows what they are doing and make sure they are NOT watching you.

Reason #2: At the most basic, human, survival instinct level, you’re not trying to get injured. You wouldn’t move toward this if you haven’t been training consistently because…you’re smarter than that.

Reason #3: You know that it doesn’t make sense to add load to an unorganized system.

Here’s how you get started: Assess the situation

This is the landscape I referred to earlier. The landscape of your body right now. Not the one you had last time you worked out. Nor the one you are working for. The body you have right now.

Check your range of motion. Find your footing. Clear your inside space (your mind) and outside space (mat, studio, etc) of distractions. Get familiar with your body’s current compensations, imbalances, strengths, and weaknesses. Organize your body so it can actually handle added weight.

I’m practicing what I preach this month.

I’m taking January off from my usual work “load.” For me, this is a season of body reclamation. I’m stepping back to advocate for my own physical health and wellbeing and to handle some personal maintenance that requires me to be still.

You won’t find me hitting the ground running. I’m hitting the ground… and just staying there for a minute. Looking around. Getting organized.

What if you gave yourself permission to do the same?

What if, instead of adding “New Year” pressure, you spent this month…

• Clearing your inside and outside space: What habits or obligations or physical items are just cluttering your space?
• Checking your alignment: Does your current schedule actually support the person you are today (not the person you were five years ago)? Do you know where your vagina is pointing? If you need help with this, CLICK HERE to listen to the podcast episode!
• Zoom out: What does the landscape of your whole year actually look like? What needs to happen to support the whole picture?

​What if you put integrity before intensity?

There is magic in this “unloaded” phase. It’s where you find your integrity. It’s where you ensure that when you do eventually pick up the pace, you’re doing it from a place of strength rather than a place of “should.”

The weights will still be there in February. Your goals aren’t going anywhere!

For now, notice the landscape. Get organized. Enjoy the space you’ve reclaimed for yourself.

And know that I’m right there with you. Quiet, recovering, and recalibrating.

As always, I’ve got your back, your front, and your (resting) undercarriage.

xo, Alissa

P.S. Planning your organization’s 2026 trajectory? If your team is currently “hitting the ground running” and risking a mid-Q1 breakdown, let’s get them organized! I’m currently booking movement workshops and speaking engagements for the spring and summer. Email me to see how I can support the living daylights out of you and your people.