Everything old is new again
After weeks of holiday indulgence, I'm returning to an old ritual. What will you bring back this year?
There’s something magical about the stillness of early January. The holiday chaos has settled, and we’re left with this quiet space to consider what really matters. As I stood in my kitchen yesterday, hands deep in dough, I realized that some of the best things in life aren’t new at all—they’re the practices we’ve loved before, waiting to be welcomed back.
I’ve been thinking about you this week, wondering how you’re feeling after the holidays. Maybe you’re like me—a little heavier, a little tired, and ready for some simple shifts that actually feel good. That’s what today’s newsletter is all about.
👇 In today’s email:
This week’s inspiration: Everything old is new again
Latest blog post: 6 small habits that reduce morning bloat and fatigue
What I’m reading: The War Against the Animals
Everything old is new again
One of the most beautiful things about a new year is not only giving thought to our own journey forward, but reflecting on what has served us well in the past, and what is worth beginning again.
For me in 2026, it’s baking bread.
In the spring of 2020, as huge gusts of wind blasted off the Sakonnet River with enough force to topple a small child, I baked and scored sourdough loaves by the dozen. So many bags of heirloom flours were delivered to my house—einkorn, spelt, and kamut—you would think I was trying to open a commercial bakery myself.
But it was therapy alone: for dexterous hands aching for a worthwhile task, and also a nervous heart in need of grounding calm. Baking provided the extra bonus of the house smelling divine while feeding family and neighbors alike.
Now, as of yesterday, I am back at it.
As I waited for my first two loaves to come out of the oven this Sunday morning, I found myself wondering: What are the things that have worked for you in the past that can reappear this year to bring you joy and peace?
Maybe it’s a morning walk you loved. Or journaling before bed. Perhaps it’s a creative practice you set aside when life got busy, or a friendship you want to tend more carefully.
Here’s what I know from 20 years in practice: the most powerful transformations often come from returning to what already worked. Not chasing the next trending wellness hack, but honoring the rituals and practices that made you feel like yourself.
So as you move through these early weeks of the year, I invite you to ask yourself: What do I want to bring back? What small practice once brought calm, joy, or groundedness that deserves another chance?
6 small habits that reduce morning bloat and fatigue
With the exception of some New Year’s Eve dancing and bundling up to do yard work with my husband (a favorite activity—an excuse to be outside and get a teeny bit of exercise), I’ve been sitting on my butt, eating huge amounts of food for six weeks.
Well, that might be hyperbole. But it’s actually not far from the truth.
And it’s easy at this point in the new year to say, “Oh, I feel so yuck. What can I do to feel a little bit lighter?”
In my latest blog post, I share six simple habits that can help you wake up feeling less bloated and more energized. These aren’t dramatic overhauls or punishing detoxes—they’re gentle, evidence-based practices from Chinese medicine that support your body’s natural rhythms.
We’re talking about things like warm water in the morning (yes, temperature matters), mindful eating patterns, and supporting your digestive fire. Small shifts that make a real difference in how you feel when you open your eyes each day.
If you’ve been feeling heavy or sluggish lately, this post is for you.
The War Against the Animals by Paul Russell
Two of my dearest friends often lend me books. They’re both sophisticated and erudite, and a complete joy. As they are a couple, the books are often thematically about issues having to do with gay life, the role of aging as a gay man, the AIDS crisis.
This book is in that vein. The War Against the Animals takes place in the 1990s in the Hudson Valley, where successful gay men and their friends spend weekends and eventually live full-time in a town that has not historically been hospitable to them.
The main character, Cameron, strikes up an unlikely friendship with a local named Jessie. Jessie is young, drives a pick-up truck, has never been out of that upstate area, and the two of them become friends.
I can’t say the writing of this book is sublime, but I can say in terms of plot, it left me breathless—like with a tight chest for fear of where the story was going. At one point, I thought they were all going to murder each other, but thank God they did not.
It was gripping and the most suspenseful thing I’ve read in a long time.
If this does intrigue you, please know that there are certain aspects of this book that are salacious and perhaps not appropriate for our very youngest of readers.
Happy New Year, I’m cheering for you,
Dr. Catherine
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