New Year Resolution, or Not?

A Nervous‑System‑Informed Approach to Sustainable Change and Burnout Prevention

Every January, I feel slightly overwhelmed by the familiar chorus of New Year, New You. Workshops, blogs and social media feeds promote extreme diets, fasting protocols, ice baths—even when temperatures are already sub‑zero. These approaches are often delivered by self‑proclaimed experts, with very little consideration for where people actually are in their life: their emotional landscape, health history, workload, or nervous system capacity.

Our culture is deeply oriented towards fast results and dramatic change, rather than slow, durable and sustainable transformation. Interestingly, sustainability is a word we tend to reserve for environmental conservation—rarely for human beings.

I also find it curious that we wait for 1 January to recalibrate how we live, work or run our businesses. Change, after all, is available to us at any moment.

The human body is a microcosm of the macrocosm: we are not separate from nature.

Why Most Resolutions Don’t Stick

It’s widely acknowledged that the majority of New Year’s resolutions fade within weeks. This isn’t a failure of willpower—it’s often a failure of alignment. Many resolutions are imposed on the body and mind without considering nervous system health, energy availability, or the season we are in.

If we pause and look to nature, winter offers a very different message. Trees are bare. Growth is invisible. Energy is conserved. Nature is resting deeply in order to regenerate.

In Qigong, we say that the human body is a microcosm of the macrocosm: we are not separate from nature—we are nature. Our physiology, nervous system and energy levels are designed to move in rhythm with the seasons, not against them. Traditionally in China, Qigong is considered a form of preventative medicine, supporting health before illness arises.

During winter, Qigong practices focus on the kidney and bladder meridians. The kidneys are Yin organs and are seen as reservoirs of vital energy. When these reserves are depleted—often through chronic stress, overwork or lack of rest—fatigue and burnout follow. Gentle movement, breath and intention (Yi) are used to nourish and protect this energy.

But What If You Can’t Slow Down at Work?

If you run a business, manage a team, or are part of a demanding workplace, you may be thinking: hibernation isn’t an option for me.

Slowing down doesn’t mean stopping. It means pausing long enough to listen.

Rather than jumping into ambitious resolutions, I invite you to consider something more subtle—and often more challenging: acceptance. I recently heard yoga teacher Bernie Clark speak about replacing New Year’s resolutions with acceptance, and it struck me deeply.

Acceptance is not passive. It is an honest assessment of reality.

• Can I accept who this person is in my life, without judgement, while setting healthy boundaries?

• Can I accept that I only have a certain number of hours each week due to work, caregiving or personal limits?

• Within those constraints, what can I realistically offer—without tipping into depletion or burnout?

For me, long‑term sustainability is essential. It’s what allows us to build something meaningful—a body of work, a business, a life—that can support others and ourselves over time.

Qigong, a practice aligned with the seasons, a preventative medicine.

Sustainable Actions for the New Year

Instead of drastic overhauls, here are three nervous‑system‑supportive foundations that encourage resilience, clarity and burnout prevention—both personally and professionally.

1. Stay Connected to Nature

Regular contact with nature has been shown to support both mental and physical health, reducing stress and supporting mood, focus and immune function. Even during cold winter days, a short walk outside—ten minutes is enough—can make a noticeable difference.

I recently read about GPs prescribing time outdoors as part of treatment plans for conditions such as depression and type 2 diabetes, often alongside (or sometimes instead of) medication. Nature, it seems, remains one of the most accessible regulators of the nervous system.

2. Move the Body, Regulate the Breath

Movement practices that place the breath at their centre are particularly powerful for nervous system regulation. Yoga and Qigong not only improve mobility and strength, but also directly influence the autonomic nervous system by synchronising movement with breath.

The breath is a mirror of our internal state. Under stress, breathing becomes shallow, fast and restricted—often accompanied by tension in the shoulders, jaw and lower back. While breathing is automatic, it is the only autonomic function we can consciously influence.

A simple regulation practice:

• Inhale through the nose for a count of 3

• Exhale slowly for a longer count (4–5)

Lengthening the exhale gently signals safety to the nervous system and supports a shift away from chronic fight‑or‑flight. Counting also helps anchor the mind, reducing mental overload.

Qigong takes this further by explicitly aligning the body with seasonal rhythms. It recognises five seasons—spring, summer, late summer, autumn and winter—each associated with an element and paired Yin–Yang organs. The slow, intentional nature of the practice, combined with breath and imagery, is why Qigong is often described as meditation in motion.

3. Start with Breath Before Meditation

Meditation is widely recommended, yet for many people—especially those under chronic stress—it can feel overwhelming or even frustrating. If sitting still feels impossible, you are not failing; your nervous system may simply need a different entry point.

Breathwork is a gentle and effective place to begin. In yoga, these practices are known as pranayama. One well‑known example is alternate nostril breathing (Nadi Shodhana), which is traditionally used to balance the nervous system and support mental clarity.

How to practise:

• Sit comfortably and place your thumb on one nostril, ring finger on the other

• Breathe normally for a few rounds

• Inhale through both nostrils

• Close the right nostril with your thumb, exhale through the left

• Inhale through the left nostril

• Close it with your ring finger, exhale through the right

• Continue alternating for 3–5 minutes

This practice is often described as calming yet focusing—supportive for those seeking sustainable energy rather than stimulation.

Regular contact with nature for improved mental, physical health and reduced stress.

A Different Kind of New Year Intention

If burnout prevention and long‑term sustainability are priorities for you, I would gently caution against drastic New Year changes that go against the winter season’s call for rest and reflection.

Instead, consider:

• Accepting where you are right now

• Introducing small, supportive changes

• Using this quieter season to observe what truly works—and what doesn’t

This approach doesn’t ignore urgency or responsibility. Rather, it plants well‑rooted seeds that can grow when spring arrives and Yang energy naturally begins to rise again.

Why this matters for professionals

These practices are small, achievable, and immediately beneficial — giving your body and mind the balance needed to handle high workloads effectively.

As Traditional Chinese Medicine has long taught, active, restorative practices are essential for optimal performance. Investing in these micro-recovery moments allows you to perform better, make clearer decisions, and protect your energy over the long term.

Want to try it?

I’ve created a free resource, the 3-Day Nervous System Reset, with short, practical exercises to restore energy and clarity:
3-Day Nervous System Reset | Relax, Restore & Recharge with Candice Yoga

About Candice Machtus

Candice Machtus is a Yoga Alliance Professionals-accredited Yoga and Qigong teacher based in Tonbridge, Kent. She supports busy professionals to restore balance, energy, and clarity through embodied movement and nervous system regulation.

Find out more at www.candiceyoga.co.uk