January Check-In: A Softer Start to the New Year
How to Reset Without Pressure or Perfection
❄️ January doesn’t need a reinvention. It needs relief.
After the noise of the holidays, the pressure of “new year, new you,” and months of constant stimulation, most of us aren’t unmotivated — we’re overstimulated. This issue is about getting your attention, energy, and nervous system back online.
From a strange new showering trend to unsettling brain research (and how to counter it), we’re starting the year by protecting the most valuable thing you own: your mind.
“JamieLivesWell” is presented by Pique:
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🚿 Why Everyone Is Showering in the Dark
Dark showering is exactly what it sounds like: taking a shower with the lights off (or very dim).
It’s trending because it works.
Removing visual input lowers sensory load, calms the nervous system, and turns a daily habit into a grounding ritual. Warm water + darkness signals safety to the brain. Your body exhales. Your thoughts slow down.
People report:
Less morning anxiety
Better focus afterward
A surprising emotional release
You’re not “doing nothing.” You’re letting your system reset.
Try it:
Start with 60–90 seconds at the end of your shower
No phone. No music. Just water and breath
In a world obsessed with stimulation, less input is a radical form of self-care.
📱 The Study That Says Short-Form Video Is Worse Than Alcohol
A new wave of research is sounding the alarm: excessive short-form video consumption may cause long-term damage to attention, memory, and impulse control — and the effects appear more persistent than alcohol-related impairment.
Why?
Short-form video trains your brain to expect:
Instant reward
Constant novelty
Zero effort
Over time, sustained focus feels uncomfortable. Boredom feels unbearable. Real life feels dull.
This isn’t about willpower. It’s about brain chemistry.
The good news: damage isn’t destiny. Attention can recover — if you stop feeding the loop.
Your brain heals in quiet.
🚶 Joy Miles: The Fastest Way to Feel Human Again
Joy Miles are short walks taken for one purpose: mental uncluttering.
No steps. No podcasts. No photos. No optimization.
Just movement without input.
When you walk without stimulation, your brain exits survival mode. Thoughts organize themselves. Creativity returns. Anxiety loosens its grip.
One mile is enough.
Ten minutes counts.
Consistency matters more than distance.
Rules of a Joy Mile:
Phone on Do Not Disturb
No earbuds
Look up, not down
Screens fragment your attention. Joy Miles rebuild it.
✨ Final Thought
You don’t need a new personality this January.
You need fewer inputs, softer rituals, and space to think again.
Clarity isn’t found — it’s restored.
Further Reading: