After the hub-bub of the holidays, I find myself craving quiet, the central gift of wintertime. Much of the natural world is in hibernation and the snow muffles the sounds of the city holding them at bay. As I put away holiday decorations and purge old items that can find a better home elsewhere rather than collecting dust in my own, I am clearing my mind as well. I know if I give into this desire for quiet I’ll be rewarded over time with clarity and focus and a sense of purpose in my family and work life. And so, I walk outside and breathe deeply the frigid air. And I listen to whatever it is I might hear. I ask big questions and I allow them to linger in me for awhile without skipping quickly to the neat answers others might approve of. No, I listen and wait for the answers that I know will ring true.

Here are some of those questions that I ask. My hope in sharing these is that you’ll find your quiet winter too and live the questions for a time listening for authenticity before diving into your new year with answers.

• What gives me a sense of meaning and purpose?
• What hopes and dreams do I have for myself?
• How can I maintain or regain my sense of calm as the storm of responsibilities – family and work – rain down?
• What are my hopes and dreams for my child?
• How do I need to align my actions to meet those hopes for my child? What do I need to work on in small, simple, daily kinds of ways?
• What if my son/daughter were moving out next year? What values would I want him know and hold dear too? How would I do things differently this year to help him learn those values?
• What beliefs or perceptions can I let go of that may be holding me back from being my best self?
• How can I show gratitude for my loved ones particularly when life gets busy?
• How can I be certain that my family members know that I love them unconditionally?

These are just a few of the questions I am holding onto and allowing to stir in my head these winter days. May you too be enriched by your questions.
Happy new year!