Slow Down & Tune In
The air feels heavy where I live in Minnesota right now.
And I want to start by naming that not rushing past it, not smoothing it over.
There’s grief here. Anger. Fear. Exhaustion. And I can feel how deeply that collective weight is landing in our bodies and nervous systems.
If you’ve been struggling to keep up with routines, workouts, or even basic motivation, I want you to know that doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you’re human in a heavy moment.
This winter, the word that keeps coming back to me is steadiness.
Not productivity. Not optimization. Steadiness.
And the question I keep asking myself is:
Where can I find steadiness when things feel chaotic?
Can I feel my feet beneath me?
Can I breathe and come back to center?
Today I want to talk about what it means to tend to the basics; movement, nourishment, rest not as self-improvement, but as sacred, stabilizing practices when the world feels unsteady.
Staying Rooted in Unstable Times
“This winter has been a season that feels heavier than usual. I’ve noticed it in my clients, in my community… in myself. There’s this underlying exhaustion sadness, frustration, even anger bubbling up in response to what’s happening around us. And I’ve asked myself again and again: How do we find steadiness in times that feel chaotic?”
“If you’re listening to this from a place of emotional overwhelm from world news, from social strain, from personal fatigue I want you to know: what you’re feeling makes sense. And there’s no guilt in simply tending to your own being.”
Basics as Sacred Acts
Three embodied practices:
🜂 Move your body for your system, not your guilt
“You get to choose movement based on what your body actually has energy for. That is wisdom.”
Eat to nourish — not to ‘optimize’
“Food isn’t about perfection. It’s about connection to your body, to life, to nourishment.”
Sleep as resistance to overwhelm
“Sleep isn’t laziness — it’s resilience.”
Bring in nervous system language:
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fight-flight-freeze vs rest and digest
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what emotional overwhelm feels like in the body
Mention winter as a season — rest, inwardness, slowing — sacred, not defeated.
Core Questions
“Can you feel your feet beneath you?
Can you breathe deeply back to your center?
Can you pause before you speak?
Can you tend to your basic needs — breathe, nourishment, movement — with reverence?”
Pause and take a deep inhale and slow exhale.
Perimenopause Power Hour
“If you feel called to a space where we explore these patterns together, where we ground in community and steady our nervous systems, I’d love to meet you at Perimenopause Power Hour. I’ve delayed it intentionally to align with where we are now — to make space for presence, not performance.”
As we close, I want to leave you with this reminder:
The basics are enough right now.
You don’t need to do more to be worthy of care. You don’t need to push yourself back into a version of life that doesn’t fit this moment.
Steadiness isn’t about pretending things are fine.
It’s about staying connected — to your body, your breath, and your capacity.If you’re longing for a gentle space to steady your nervous system and practice these basics in community, I’ll be offering Perimenopause Power Hour, intentionally shifted to honor the weight of this season.
And whether you join or not, know this:
If today all you do is breathe deeply, feel your feet on the ground, and tend to your basic needs — that is enough.Thank you for being here. Take good care.
Closing Reflection + Gentle Invitation
Come and join me for my next masterclass- Perimenopause Power Hour on February 7th at 9am.
About the host
Andrea Claassen is a yoga teacher, strength coach, and Ayurvedic practitioner with nearly two decades of experience supporting women through stress, burnout, and the perimenopause transition. Her work blends strength training, yoga, seasonal rhythm, and Ayurveda to help women feel capable, calm, and connected in their bodies.
✨ If this resonates, you may enjoy my 5 Day Stillness Challenge or taking my Perimenopause Support Quiz both designed to help you slow down, tune in, and reconnect with your inner rhythm during this season.
