January often arrives with an unfamiliar and somewhat strange stillness — well, as still as it can be with wild two- and five-year-olds running around our home. The calendar is a little clearer than the blur of Thanksgiving to New Year. The noise of the holiday parading fades almost overnight, and for many, me included, that quiet can feel unsettling or as though something is missing.
During the holiday season, our brains operate in sustained high-output mode. We navigate packed schedules, heightened social interaction, travel, so much decision-making and constant stimulation. Even joyful experiences demand energy, so by the time January arrives, my nervous system certainly feels 150% depleted.
As I was sharing this sentiment with some other moms, one of them pointed out that science supports what winter and a slow January intuitively provide — a brain downshift out of reactive mode and into regulation. While I haven’t totally fact-checked this claim, I certainly know stress hormones like cortisol ease up a bit. I can focus a little more. I have a tad more patience, and some semblance of emotional balance is slowly returning.
The holidays, end-of-year celebrations, work gatherings, etc. often require us to show up cheerful, generous and socially available — even when we’re tired. When expectations ease, authenticity returns, and we can be quieter versions of ourselves without apology. That alone is deeply restorative.
Because I actually had some time to myself over the holiday break, I was able to finish a book I picked up long ago — Daniel Khulman’s “Thinking Fast and Slow,” and I found a little validation for why from November to December I cannot remember anything new!
Slowdowns play a critical role in memory consolidation, the process by which experiences are sorted, stored and given meaning. Moments don’t fully register while we’re rushing through them and are processed later, during periods of rest and reflection. It makes sense why clarity often arrives weeks after the holidays, not during them. January’s hospitality is the gift of quiet importance so that the brain can turn lived experience into understanding. With fewer obligations, ideas surface. Curiosity returns, and creativity can re-emerge here, too. Rather than resisting January’s quiet, there is value in letting nature model this instinctively. Fields rest. Trees conserve energy. Growth pauses — not as failure, but as preparation.
That realization sent me down a path to find some new January rituals — call them simple habits — to help my “mom brain” get it back together in 2026. I know Dry January has long been a thing, but I am going to sub out my evening glass of wine for a healthy mocktail — a truly get happy hour. Detox juices succeed not because they deprive, but because they restore. They hydrate, stimulate digestion and engage the senses without overstimulation, making them ideal companions to January’s quieter rhythm.
January’s stillness reduces the pressure to perform, so I am lightening the load in January as prescribed (or at least until Bistro Verde re-opens on Jan. 27).
LLCC Community Education is offering some “Zero Proof” classes this spring that feature mocktails as well. You can learn more about these at www.llcc.edu/culinary-classes.
Best wishes for a Happy New Year!
Mocktail hour
These juices support hydration, digestion and clarity — while still feeling festive
Green juice
- Cucumber
- Celery
- Green apple
- Lemon
- Fresh ginger
Mocktail tip: Serve over ice with sparkling water and a rosemary sprig.
Citrus ginger
- Orange
- Grapefruit
- Lemon
- Fresh turmeric or ginger
Mocktail tip: Add a splash of honey syrup, and top with soda water.
Beet berry balance
Grounding, antioxidant-rich
- Roasted beet
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Lime
Mocktail tip: Shake with ice, and strain into a coupe for an elevated feel.
Carrot citrus cleanse
- Carrot
- Orange
- Lemon
- Pinch of cayenne
Mocktail tip: Rim the glass lightly with smoked salt for complexity.
Pineapple mint refresher
Digestive, calming
- Pineapple
- Fresh mint
- Lime
Mocktail tip: Muddle mint lightly, and top with chilled coconut water or sparkling mineral water.
About
Lincoln Land Community College offers credit programs in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management and Baking/Pastry, and non-credit cooking and food classes through LLCC Community Education.
Cooking or food questions? Email epicuriosity101@llcc.edu.