There is a moment each year that often goes unnoticed.
It sits quietly between the holidays and the new year —
after the gatherings, the expectations, the emotions —
but before the resolutions, the plans, the pressure.
It’s a pause.
A breath.
A space.
And for many women, especially in midlife, this space can feel unsettling.
Because when the noise fades, what remains is honesty
Why the “In-Between” Feels So Tender
During the holidays, we’re busy responding.
To schedules.
To family dynamics.
To traditions.
To roles we’ve played for decades.
Then suddenly, it’s quieter.
And in that quiet, questions arise — not the loud, demanding ones, but the deeper kind:
- What am I still carrying that I don’t want to bring forward?
- What actually matters to me now?
- Who am I becoming in this next chapter of my life?
This is the space many women rush through.
We distract ourselves.
We jump straight into planning.
We start thinking about goals before we’ve listened to what the year has already taught us.
But this space isn’t meant to be skipped.
It’s meant to be entered.
The Power of Pausing Before the New Year
Clarity doesn’t come from pushing forward faster.
It comes from slowing down enough to notice what’s already true.
In this in-between space, you may begin to feel:
- What no longer fits your life
- Where you’ve outgrown old roles or expectations
- What feels heavy, unfinished, or unresolved
- What you quietly long for — without yet knowing the shape of it
This isn’t confusion.
It’s awareness.
And awareness is the beginning of alignment.
Why Alignment Comes Before Goals
So often, women tell me they want clarity for the new year.
But clarity doesn’t come from resolutions alone.
It comes from honesty, listening, and self-trust.
Alignment asks different questions than goal-setting:
- What do I want to feel more of?
- What am I ready to release?
- Where am I being invited to live more truthfully?
- What does “enough” look like now?
These questions don’t demand answers right away.
They invite presence.
And presence creates direction.
An Invitation to Stay in the Space
If you’re in this quiet moment right now — feeling reflective, tender, or unsure —
there’s nothing wrong with you.
You’re not behind.
You’re not late.
You’re not missing anything.
You’re simply in the space between who you’ve been
and who you’re becoming.
And this space matters.
In the days ahead, I’ll be inviting you into Your New Year Alignment — not as a resolution, not as pressure, but as a grounded way to step into the new year with clarity and intention.
But for now, allow yourself to stay here.
Because how you enter the new year matters far more than how fast you move once you’re there.
If this message resonated, subscribe to my YouTube channel — Susan Lazar Hart Fearless Women Rising.
You’ll find weekly videos, tools, and fearless insights to help you create a life you truly love living, one aligned, B.O.L.D. step at a time.
You’re not behind.
You’re becoming.
One bold step at a time.
