Before the Next Chapter: Rest, Renewal, and Intentional Beginnings

Good morning, Cadre. It is Wednesday, December 24, and it is the day before Christmas. So I know everyone is out and about trying to get everything they can get with the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. So I know we are probably in our cars, we are probably in a store with our earbuds on, listening to this live stream. Good morning. And trying to. To do what we enjoy doing and what we love doing. Again, I am Dr. Jessica Green, and I am so excited for the holiday season. Again, we talk about that hustle and bow.

So trying to prepare and. And then our ability to realize, hey, we need to take that moment to slow things down a little bit. Good morning, Michelle. So that's what we are going to talk about today. We're going to talk about our ability to hit that reset button, our ability to slow down, but then continue to have that sense of gratitude when it comes to mental wellness and when it comes to personal growth. So. So when we talk about slowing things down, you know, it's not talking about a plan, it's not talking about that hustle, and we're not talking about that ability to fix anything, but our ability to do a couple of things, definitely be able to rest, be able to renew, and gently prepare for what's next for us.

Okay. And when we talk about what's next for us, so it can be, you know, what we have going on today, what we have going on the next day. But what I want us to do is continue to focus on being in that moment, you know, whether we're with family, whether we're with friends, our ability to take that deep breath and be able to rest. And when we rest, it's being able to honor where we are. So as one cycle comes to a close, many of us, we feel that pressure where we have to go, go, go, do, do, do, and try to wrap these things up.

But I want us to reflect perfectly. I want us to be productive, and then I want us to finish strong. And it takes me back to that moment when I ran track and field in high school and in college. You know, our ability to finish strong, our ability to say, hey, you know what? I. I am going to give it my all. And I know I did the best I could have done with what I had. So as we're looking about at 20, you know, 25, that reflection going into 20, 26, that's something that I want us to think about. Okay.

Good morning, Mike. Yes, definitely. Living in the moment. Living in the moment and finishing strong. When we think about Rest. We need to see rest as another R word, which is a reward, because resting is a requirement. I'm going to say that again. Rest is a requirement. Now, true rest is going to ask us to stop pushing and to start listening. And it invites us to acknowledge what this year has taken from us emotionally, mentally, and physically. So we are going to take the good, but we're going to leave that bad and the ugly when it comes to our emotions, when it comes to our mental wellness, and then our ability to make sure we're taking care of our physical health.

So if you are feeling tired, if you are feeling unmotivated or even emotionally full, that does not mean that you have failed. It means that you have lived. And when we think about being emotionally full, we think back about that moment where I felt full, but I know I haven't eaten all day. You know, those moments where we feel emotionally full and being able to determine, hey, which one is healthy and which one may not be healthy. Because as we go through life and as we go through the year, our seasons change.

And with those seasons changing, sometimes we go through grief, we go through that adjustment, you know, we go through those moments of anxiety, depression, you know, whatever category we want to put it in. But that does not mean we cannot live a wonderful life that has been well lived. So rest allows our nervous system to settle all right? And it creates space for clarity, and it creates that space for healing. And most importantly, it reminds you that you are enough without doing more. You are enough.

Because I want this to settle in. You are enough without doing more. So when we think about renewal, what does that renewal look like? And if you're like me, I am more of a vision person. Like, you can tell me something. And unfortunately, sometimes it goes through when ear at the other, and sometimes it does this number, you know, but renewal is about letting go gently. It doesn't mean, you know, adding on new goals. It begins with that release. Yes. Brock says managing that moment, it's his mantra.

Taking a pause allows for more purposeful choices. Absolutely. And asking yourself, your goals, does it align with your vision? Does it align with your value? Absolutely. And not to get off topic, but especially in the workplace, making sure that workplace culture aligns with your values, aligns with them, acknowledging your worth and acknowledging your value. So. Absolutely. So when we think about our goals and we think about our purpose, right. We have to make sure we are carrying, and I should say, not caring those things that no longer have purpose to us in our next season and in 2026.

So maybe it's having that inappropriate guilt, you know, maybe it's that self doubt and maybe it's the belief that you must be everything to everybody, where we are pouring into everybody else's cup and not pouring into ourselves. So renewal is that quite decision to loosen our grip on what may be holding us down that has that heavy weight. Yes. Cultural alignment is huge. Absolutely. And we don't have to force closure, you know, you don't have to have all the answers. And knowing that that's okay.

You know, when we think about vulnerability and asking those questions, that is what we want. We know that we're not going to have all the answers. But being able to ask is extremely important. And creating that sense of vulnerability and seeing it in a positive light, not as a sense of weakness, but a sense of that curiosity so I can gain that knowledge and gain that perspective. So sometimes renewal looks like permission, you know, that permission to change, that permission to rest and that permission to start again in a softer way.

So what does it look like as we're preparing for this new cycle? All right. And so we're going to talk about intention over pressure. So as a new cycle approaches, all right, as we think about 2026, as we think about that new season, we often rush towards solution lists and those expectations, and maybe not even those expectations for me, but sometimes those expectations for others. But instead of asking, what do I want to accomplish? Try asking, how do I want to feel? And it takes me back to that emotion wheel which I love, and I will put it in the Cadre app, but it allows you to have that emotional intelligence where we're asking ourselves, what do I want to feel?

Do you want more peace? Do you want more balance? Do you want more of a connection not only with others, but for yourself? And that reminds me of that intrinsic motivation where we're asking ourselves, what is my purpose? Intentions, you know, they guide behavior without judgment. They all have flexibility, and they also allow you to leave room for grace. And this next cycle doesn't need to be perfect, you know, it does not have to have that sense of perfection. And in Jessica's mindset, perfection does not exist.

A lot of times those things just happen the way they should. All right? And making sure that it brings out the best version of you. And it means being present in that moment. So as we close, my ask for you is to reflect on these three questions. Okay? So if you are somewhere and you have the ability to write these down, please do. If you are in your vehicle, just listen, you know, because we always have the opportunity for replay in the Cadre app. So these are three questions that I want you to ask yourself.

What do I need to rest from? Because we have to acknowledge those things that are draining you. What am I ready to release? What are those things that are holding me back? What are those people, places, and even things that you have outgrown? And when we say we have outgrown these things, we're not saying that we're better than anyone, but we're just in two different places. And the third question is, what feeling do I want to carry into the next cycle? What are some things, some feelings I want to carry in the next season?

Carry into 2026. And understand this. There is no right answer to any of those these three questions. But what I need you to do is be authentic. I need you to be honest, and I need you to hold yourself accountable. So as you move forward, I want you to remember that growth does not always look like momentum. Sometimes it looks like stillness. For us to be able to reflect, be in that moment and make sure we are doing those things that are in the best interest of us so we can be the best of us. And stillness is not a negative thing.

It's where that renewal begins. It's where that intrinsic motivation begins because it allows us to be in that moment and be able to reflect and reset so we can take ourselves to the next level. So thanks for spending this moment with me. And as a gentle reminder, make sure you are gentle with yourself as you prepare what's next Moving forward into 2026, into a new season. Thank you all for listening. Happy Holidays, and always remember to take care of.