New Year's message 2025: mindfulness, serenity and the pacing challenge

Dear readers,

Welcome to the year 2025! A new year is always also a new beginning, a time to pause and reflect on how we want to consciously shape our lives. For this year, I would like to invite you to make a resolution with me: to bring more mindfulness and calm into our lives. This greeting is particularly aimed at anyone who is struggling with fatigue, ME/CFS or Long COVID. Let's focus on how we can achieve more balance and well-being through small steps.

Why mindfulness and reflection are important

In a world that is getting faster and louder, it often feels like we have to 'keep up'. But mindfulness reminds us that we are allowed to set the pace. Studies show that mindful living can reduce stress¹, strengthen the immune system² and improve overall wellbeing³. Mindfulness is particularly key for people living with chronic fatigue: it helps us to recognize signals from the body earlier and prevent overexertion.

Rest doesn't just mean resting, but also creating space for the most essential things. A calm mind can make clear decisions - and that is vital for a healthy lifestyle.

With mindfulness into the new year

Pacing - what is it?

Pacing is a strategy that is particularly helpful for ME/CFS and Long COVID. It's about knowing your own energy limits and planning in such a way that you don't become overextended. Imagine your energy like a glass of water: Every step, every task takes a small sip. The aim is never to drain the glass, because that would trigger a “crash” - days or weeks of being overtaxed and exhausted.

Why does pacing not always help?

• We overestimate our limits and do more than is good for us.

• External expectations (e.g. from family or work) cause us to overextend ourselves.

• We ignore the body's subtle warning signals.

What can we do differently?

• Get to know your energy limits: Start keeping a diary to recognize patterns.

• Plan breaks before you feel exhausted.

• Communicate clearly with those around you what you can and cannot do.

The Pacing Challenge 2025

I invite you to take part in the Pacing Challenge: The goal is not to experience a crash in 2025. Sounds big? Then let's start small and focus on January first.

1. Practice mindfulness: start each day with a mindful minute where you consciously breathe and “scan” your energy.

   
   

2. Plan breaks: For example, every 20-30 minutes of activity, take a short break. This can be just a short pause for 10 seconds.

   In general, it is important to take breaks before you realize that you need them.

   
   

3. Be aware of your personal energy limits.

   
   
   
   

However, not every recommendation is suitable for every life situation. Some people have so little energy that even self-care is a major challenge. If this applies to you, start with the very smallest steps: perhaps a minute of conscious breathing or sensing small moments that do you good, like looking at the sky through a window or listening to a soothing sound.

As part of the challenge, I will soon be providing a small checklist - full of inspiration and ideas that could do you good.

At the end of the month, we will reflect together: What worked well? Where is there room for improvement? And above all: How can we integrate these habits into our everyday lives in the long term?

A year of small steps

The beauty of pacing and mindfulness is that we don't have to be perfect. It's about small steps that bring us great success in the long term. Let's start this year together - with a resolution that is easy, friendly and achievable.

I wish you a healthy and mindful 2025!

Your Dr. med. Livia Müller

Practice “Jump to Health”

Sources:

1: Goyal M, Singh S, Sibinga EM, Gould NF, Rowland-Seymour A, Sharma R, Berger Z, Sleicher D, Maron DD, Shihab HM, Ranasinghe PD, Linn S, Saha S, Bass EB, Haythornthwaite JA. Meditation programs for psychological stress and well-being: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Intern Med. 2014 Mar;174(3):357-68. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.13018. PMID: 24395196; PMCID: PMC4142584.

2: Black, D.S. and Slavich, G.M. (2016), Mindfulness meditation and the immune system: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., 1373: 13-24. https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.12998

3: Zollars I, Poirier TI, Pailden J. Effects of mindfulness meditation on mindfulness, mental well-being, and perceived stress. Curr Pharm Teach Learn. 2019 Oct;11(10):1022-1028. doi: 10.1016/j.cptl.2019.06.005. Epub 2019 Aug 7. PMID: 31685171.