It's January 1, and the self-help corners of the internet tell me I'm supposed to wake up as a matcha-drinking, Pilates-doing goddess of discipline. Except I don't like matcha, my gym leggings are in hibernation, and my discipline is nowhere to be found. Outside, winter has the nerve to continue. 'As you stride into the first week of the year full of good intentions, you may notice a sinking sensation: The vibes are just ' off,' Isle McElroy wrote in 2024. And for many of us, they are'every year. In late November, winter can feel charming: Thanksgiving offers coziness and pie and the suggestion that cold weather is just a backdrop to togetherness. December doubles down'lights, parties, rituals designed to make the early sunsets feel intentional. Then comes New Year's Eve, one last bit of glitter. It's tempting to surrender to the slump'to assume that the dullness is inevitable. But some writers throughout history have treated this month not as dead air but as an invitation: a moment...
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