Join Jill this week as she ushers in February, reminding us that it's still the Year of the Snake and that many of us are shedding which can truly be a challenging process. Rather than rushing to set intentions for the Year of the Fire Horse, she instead invites listeners to slow down and notice what is ready to fall away before the next chapter begins.

This episode centers on a simple but powerful premise: we don't move forward cleanly without first naming what we're done carrying, and Jill offers a guided list of questions for listeners to ask themselves designed to help them identify what they are committed to releasing, even if part of them is still afraid to let go. She shares a small set of life categories to focus the process: people/relationships, money, physical health, self-image, and sex, and for each of them, she provides reflective prompts meant to reveal patterns, obligations, and stories that no longer feel true.

Listeners are encouraged to look honestly at relationships that feel neutral or obligatory, not just the ones that are obviously draining. Jill also challenges the idea of "mindless" spending, reframing money as energy and asking what might change if we were more aware of that. She explores extremes in physical health - both neglect and rigid control - and encourages a gentler relationship with the body. In a candid closing section, she also names sex, desire, and pleasure as areas many people postpone or avoid, urging listeners to release shame, obligation, and silence.

Throughout this episode, Jill highlights that this is not about fixing or forcing change. It's about witnessing what comes up with compassion and without judgment. The act of naming, she suggests, is often what allows something to complete and release. This conversation sets the tone for the weeks ahead – much less about striving for what's next and much more about making space by honoring what's ready to be shed!

Show Notes:

[1:28] - Last week's episode reconnected listeners and leads back into the February Fire Horse transition.
[2:23] - Jill reassures listeners that many feel stuck in limbo during the Snake's final shed.
[5:07] - Jill introduces reflection categories to identify what feels outdated and/or ready for release.
[7:45] - Hear how mindless spending and fear around money are energetic patterns which she challenges listeners to shed.
[9:07] - Jill invites listeners to let go of being too strict or too careless with their physical health and to find balance.
[10:10] - Hear how desire, sex, and pleasure are reclaimed by shedding shame, obligation, and rigid routines.
[11:20] - Listeners are invited to witness themselves with compassion and to choose authenticity over judgment and/or pressure.

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Jill returns to talking about the New Year this episode as she reframes the start of the year by separating what the calendar says from what the body, spirit, and nervous system are actually experiencing. While the 1st of January might mark a date change as per the Gregorian calendar, Jill explains why she doesn't energetically follow it and how aligning with the lunar calendar reveals that many of us are still finishing the work of the previous year. If January has felt heavy, confusing, or unexpectedly intense, Jill offers a compassionate perspective on why delayed emotional "shedding" could be surfacing now.

Jill also gets a little personal and reflects on her word for 2025 – freedom. She discusses the unexpected way that it manifested for her: through saying goodbye. She shares what it looked like to release fantasies, roles, and relationships that she was holding together through hope rather than truth. With vulnerable honesty, she opens up about long-term family estrangement, the grief of letting go of a beloved home and era of life, and the moment when she realized that freedom sometimes requires releasing the dream that things will change. It's not about bitterness or giving up but is rather about choosing reality over self-abandonment.

She also revisits the idea of "wintering" as an active phase, not a passive one, and explains why this slower season is incredibly important preparation for what's ahead. She offers grounded ways to work with this energy such as purging physical clutter, creating space in your calendar, gently moving your body, and examining relationships that may be held together by guilt or obligation. Rather than forcing goals or resolutions, Jill invites listeners to focus on the feeling that they truly want to experience. Jill warmly reminds listeners in this episode that space is not emptiness and that letting go can very much be the doorway to what comes next!

Show Notes:

[1:46] - Hear how Jill prefers to follow a lunar rhythm, viewing current overwhelm as delayed shedding from last year.
[4:42] - Instead of resisting wintering energy, Jill allows a quiet pause before inevitable forward movement.
[7:21] - Reflecting on 2025, Jill emphasizes lessons, gratitude, and recognizing its unexpected theme: saying goodbye.
[9:16] - For Jill, freedom became possible only through letting go of certain relationships, illusions, and long, loving goodbyes.
[11:15] - Jill opens up about how the deepest farewell was releasing the dream that estrangement with a family member would someday be repaired.
[13:20] - For Jill, letting go also meant ending overgiving, initiating less, and accepting some people's commitment to misunderstanding.
[15:03] - Hear how Jill's letting go created freedom, unexpected friendships, and new beginnings aligned with her true 2025 theme.
[18:11] - This season for Jill is about intentional preparation - purging clutter and gentle body movement.
[20:48] - Hear how daily grounding practices now prevent future pressure while also leading to physical, emotional, and energetic space.
[23:47] - Jill asserts that healthy relationships flow without guilt, tests, or forcing, and require courageously reclaiming time and energy.
[25:52] - Jill closes by honoring listeners and encouraging surrender, slowness, breathing deeply, and releasing what doesn't belong.

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We are halfway through January already, and Jill invites listeners into a gentler, more intentional way of approaching the new year, one that says no to urgency, pressure, and the push to immediately produce results. Speaking to both longtime listeners and those who are just finding the show, she reintroduces her idea of "wintering": a conscious pause marked by rest, quiet, and reflection as an active, not a passive, practice. She shares how choosing not to rush forward has already begun to shift things for her in really big ways.

Via some personal stories, including a recent loss and a challenging family moment, Jill reflects on what it looks like to choose love, forgiveness, and self-trust when discomfort would be easier, and she explores how small, values-based choices (especially those that are rooted in compassion rather than fear) can redirect the course of our lives. Rather than framing outcomes as rewards or punishments, she describes them as the natural flow of how we show up, what we plant, and what we're willing to claim.

This heartfelt episode of the podcast also touches on Jill's ongoing work with nontraditional healing methods and the clarity that emerged from a recent session, leading her to make an unexpected decision that would seem to go against logic but feels undeniably right in her heart. Throughout the episode, she gently challenges listeners to consider whether honoring their own alignment might actually be an act of service rather than selfishness.

Jill also encourages those listening in to sit with uncertainty, boredom, and the space between decisions - trusting that something meaningful can reveal itself there without being forced. She then closes with a spontaneous crystal alchemy singing bowl sound bath. This is a truly reflective and especially intimate episode of Be YOU that you will not want to miss!

Show Notes:

[2:10] - "Wintering" via rest and quiet is an active, powerful alternative to rushing the new year.
[5:33] - Jill views outcomes as the fruit of chosen actions, not rewards or punishments.
[8:08] - Listeners are invited to "winter" by honoring soul-aligned choices and trusting what can't yet be seen.
[10:45] - Jill puts forth the idea that growth comes from pausing after release and allowing for mystery.
[13:42] - Hear how, for Jill, surrender revealed self-advocacy that signaled that the new year had already begun.
[16:26] - The episode closes with a crystal singing bowl sound bath.

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This episode of the podcast truly sets the tone for what's ahead: a slower, more intentional start to 2026 that is grounded in truth, humor, reflection, and trust, so if you have ever felt pressure to rush forward before you're ready, then this conversation will feel like permission to breathe.

Jill welcomes everyone to the first episode of 2026! Tune in as she opens up with a heartfelt welcome and a moment of celebration after discovering Spotify Wrapped named the show a 2025 marathon show, fan favorite, and one of the most shared podcasts of the year! Jill breaks down what those numbers actually mean (nearly 1,000% growth in new listeners, increased followers, and global reach) while grounding the win in gratitude for the community and team behind the scenes!

Jill's conversation then shifts into something far more personal, with her reflecting on a holiday season that didn't look the way she expected: a Christmas without her family home, without beloved decorations, with illness, only fragments of time with all five kids together, etc., and she shares how those changes stirred old childhood wounds that she points out are tied to scarcity, safety, and control. She also discusses how the loss of aesthetic rituals revealed just how much they mattered to her, not out of perfectionism but as a form of healing and self-expression!

Jill also features stories of last-minute wrapping paper, forced "Christmas Eve," and learning to laugh at herself when things fall apart, and she revisits her now-signature practice of closing out a year intentionally, explaining why she doesn't rush into January 1st as a clean slate. Jill discusses slowing down, reflecting, releasing, and allowing the year to end on a proper note before welcoming the next. She draws from lunar rhythms, personal intuition, and years of guiding others through this process, and rather than resolutions or hustle, Jill invites listeners into stillness, clarity, and boundaries as preparation for the coming year of the Fire Horse!

Show Notes:

[0:08] - Jill welcomes listeners, shares a Wrapped surprise, and celebrates five years and over 300 episodes.
[3:16 - Hear how Spotify crowned Be YOU Podcast a 2025 favorite!
[5:22] - Jill explains how a 13% follower increase shows intentional loyalty and global reach.
[8:07] - Jill reminds us that holidays are messy, social media lies, and envy dissolves when there is truth.
[11:35] - Jill discusses how Christmas felt strange because she lacked her home.
[14:46] - Giving defines Jill, but lost traditions and fractured schedules quietly deepened the
holiday sadness for her.
[17:25] - Hear how Christmas felt chaotic for Jill even though she embraced imperfect moments and reflected on her love for aesthetics.
[20:28] - Jill accepted what she couldn't control, finding meaning and joy despite a messy holiday.
[22:56] - Last week's episode replay can help listeners anchor lessons, release burdens, and close the year consciously!
[25:35] - January is for slow reflection, preparing thoughtfully for 2026 instead of ushing forward.
[28:50] - Jill elaborates on how the year of the fire horse signals growth, intensity, and embracing life's expansion.
[30:10] - Hear how Jill eased into the new year gradually, reflecting deeply, letting go, and trusting her soul's guidance.

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Jill's episode for you this week is a brief, heartfelt check-in that is perhaps perfectly timed for the current holiday season! Listen in as she opens up about a sudden family health crisis - her mother-in-law, usually healthy, having fallen seriously ill and spending several days on a ventilator. Amidst the worry and unpredictability, Jill brings listeners into a personal conversation about presence, perspective, and finding grounding even when life throws curveballs!

Jill reminds listeners that holidays rarely unfold perfectly according to plan. Rituals and traditions can anchor us, but they aren't always enough when unexpected challenges come up. She encourages listeners to step out of the comparison game - the "should haves" and "could haves" - and to instead find safety and calm within ourselves. Breathing, pausing, and acknowledging the moment can transform how we experience the holidays, even when circumstances aren't what we had hoped.

Drawing from her own experiences, Jill also shares a simple but powerful lesson about embracing spontaneity. A plan to enjoy Christmas lights with her grandson didn't go as as the Norman Rockwell perfection she had imagined - no hot cocoa, just the joy they found together which far exceeded her expectations. It's truly never too late to create meaningful holiday experiences, even if they're different from what you had envisioned!

This episode of Be YOU also, of course, explores the metaphor of the pearl born from irritation inside an oyster. Jill reflects on how challenges, pain, and unexpected disruptions can produce something beautiful when we face them fully, acknowledging and working through the difficulties rather than avoiding them. The pearls aren't the pain itself but rather what emerges when we engage with it consciously!

Listeners of the show are invited to reflect on their own "pearls" this holiday season and to approach the coming year with awareness and gratitude, and Jill signs off with warm holiday wishes and a preview of the annual year-end episode, where she'll guide listeners in uncovering the lessons, growth, and gifts of 2025 before stepping into the new year!

Also, don't forget - Jill will be hosting an upcoming retreat - the More of Me retreat - offering a deep dive into self-discovery. Head to jillherman.com for more details!

Show Notes:

[1:29] - Jill opens up about a family health crisis and encourages finding safety and calm within oneself.
[4:52] - Jill models embracing spontaneity and finding joy in imperfect holiday moments such as unexpected Christmas lights.
[6:59] - Jill reminds listeners that it's never too late to savor small, meaningful holiday experiences.
[8:20] - When acknowledged, pain and challenges can transform into something beautiful, like a pearl forming.
[10:33] - Jill invites reflection on life's "pearls" and previews the annual episode celebrating lessons from 2025.

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"I love Be You Podcast!" ← If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps the podcast reach more people just like you. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select "Write a Review." I know there was something in this episode that you were meant to hear. Let me know what that is!

Also, if you haven't done so already, follow Be You Podcast. There is a new episode every single week, and if you're not following, there's a good chance you'll miss out.