The Pull to Slow Down
There's something about November that pulls me to slow down. The air shifts, the light fades earlier, and I feel this quiet invitation to check in with myself. To look at how I've been spending my energy and ask if it's still aligned with what I actually want.
I've been doing this for years now. Checking in with myself regularly. Looking at every commitment on my calendar, every relationship I'm maintaining, every project I've said yes to. Asking myself: Is this feeding me or draining me? Is this bringing me closer to the life I want or pulling me further away from it?
It's not always easy work. But I've learned to notice when I'm starting to drift toward old patterns. When I'm about to overcommit, when I'm slipping into people-pleasing, when I'm pushing instead of resting, I catch it early now and course-correct. I come back to the same questions: What is this actually costing me? Not just in time or money, but in energy, in peace, in the parts of myself I'm giving up to keep everything together.
November always brings me back to this work more intentionally. There's something about this season that makes me want to clear space and get quiet enough to hear what's true. To stop pushing and start questioning. To ask what I'm making room for and what I've been carrying that no longer belongs to me.
The truth is, we can't do everything. We can't be everywhere for everyone. When we try, we end up stretched so thin we lose ourselves entirely, building lives that look impressive but feel empty.
If you've been feeling that way—depleted and disconnected, like you're just moving through your days on autopilot—try this: make two lists—one for what energizes you, one for what drains you. Then look honestly at where you're spending most of your time. The gap between those two things will show you everything you need to know about what needs to change.
You don't need permission to rearrange your life around what sustains you. You don't need to wait until you're completely burned out or until someone else validates your exhaustion. You need to start. One decision at a time, one honest no, one intentional yes to something that actually fills you up instead of emptying you.
That's where everything shifts. And November keeps calling me back to it—to the practice of slowing down, clearing space, and choosing what's true over what looks good.
About Victoria & Healing Arts VB
I'm Victoria, a somatic and mindfulness coach based in Virginia Beach, and co-founder of the Healing Arts Center. My work helps people who feel overextended, anxious, or disconnected reconnect with their bodies, set boundaries, and make choices that align with what truly sustains them.
I combine evidence-informed mindfulness, nervous-system regulation, and holistic practices like Reiki and breathwork to support real-world change—one decision at a time. Whether in person or online, I help clients slow down, listen inward, and rebuild a life that feels both grounded and meaningful. https://www.vagaro.com/healingartscenter
