5 Signs You’re Out of Balance (And How to Reconnect)

The holiday season can be a time of joy, but it can also feel overwhelming. Between the hustle of end-of-year commitments and the emotional weight this time of year can carry, many of us find ourselves feeling out of balance. Whether it’s physical tension, emotional overwhelm, or a sense of disconnect, your body and spirit are likely trying to tell you something.

Let’s explore five common signs of misalignment and simple qigong practices to help you gently reconnect—so you can move through the holiday season and new year with peace and balance.

1. Physical Discomfort or Pain

The Sign: Persistent aches, stiffness, or fatigue—especially in your back, shoulders, or neck from stress and over-activity.

How to Reconnect:

• Practice: Holiday Shoulder Reset

  • While sitting or standing, roll your shoulders forward 10 times slowly and deliberately. Sync the movement with your breath and imagine releasing the weight of your to-do list. If standing, you can involve your whole body, imagine you could draw a big circle with your shoulders and let your body follow.

• Quick Tip: Give yourself permission to rest. Even a 10-minute break with your favourite holiday tea can make a difference. A sore lower back is a clear sign of having low energy as that is the place in our body where we store our energy.

  
  

2. Emotional Overwhelm

The Sign: You feel stretched thin by expectations or overwhelmed by emotions like nostalgia, grief, or anxiety.

How to Reconnect:

• Practice: Qigong Inner Smile Meditation

  • Close your eyes, notice your breath and bring a soft smile to your face. Imagine sending that smile to your heart, thanking it for holding so much love and care this year. Then send it to your belly, grounding yourself in calm.

• End-of-Year Tip: Reflect on one thing you’re grateful for this year. Gratitude is a powerful way to shift emotional energy. Its a very supportive emotion for your liver, which can be overworked at this time of year.

  
  

3. Mental Fog or Lack of Focus

The Sign: Struggling to stay organised or present during the holiday rush, leaving you feeling frazzled or forgetful.

How to Reconnect:

• Practice: Heaven and Earth Qigong Movement

  • Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Face your palms to the earth. Inhale deeply and imagine you can draw up earth's energies like sticky toffee, drawing your arms up, then turn your hands to face the heavens and gather the energy of the heavens and plunge them both into your body as you draw both palms down the front of your body. Do this 3 times.

• Holiday Mindset Tip: Write down three priorities each morning. Let go of the rest and trust that everything important will get done.

  
  

4. Feeling Disconnected from Purpose

The Sign: The season’s busyness leaves little time for introspection, leaving you feeling off-centre or emotionally disconnected.

How to Reconnect:

• Practice: Heart-Centring Qigong

  • Place your hands over your heart and breathe deeply. Visualize a warm golden light filling your chest and radiating outward like a holiday glow.

• Reflection Tip: Take 5 minutes to journal on this prompt: What small, meaningful traditions bring me joy this time of year?

  
  

5. Low Energy or Fatigue

The Sign: Despite the festive cheer, you feel drained, as if you’re running on empty before the year is even over.

How to Reconnect:

• Practice: Qigong Energy Circulation

  • Rub your hands together to create warmth, then place them over your lower belly. Imagine your energy flowing in a circle, grounding you for the days ahead.

• Holiday Recharge Tip: Spend a quiet moment in nature or even a few breaths under the stars can replenish your energy.

  

  
  
  
  

A Special End-of-Year Reflection

The end of the year is a perfect time to pause, reflect, and realign. Take a moment to celebrate your growth, honor the challenges you’ve faced, and set an intention for the year ahead.

Mini Meditation:

• Sit quietly and close your eyes.

• Breathe in the word gratitude and exhale the word peace.

• Visualize yourself entering the new year with balance and clarity.

  
  

Alignment is your gift to yourself, and these practices are here to help you unwrap it this season. Whether it’s physical tension, emotional heaviness, or spiritual fatigue, your body has the wisdom to guide you home to yourself.

If you’re ready to dive deeper into learning the language of your body, join me in a qigong class (starting 13 January) or books still open for a one-on-one session. Together, we can explore how to align your energy and empower your healing journey.