Unity Physiotherapy & Wellbeing

21/12/2025

The winter solstice marks the shortest day and longest night. From this turning point, we begin the slow return towards more light.

One element of what it represents is completion — including the completion of a seasonal cycle, the end of the descent into darkness, and the beginning of the returning of the light. It reminds us of cyclical nature of life and that darkness and light always co-exist in varying degrees.

It’s a time that reminds us of the underlying harmony — inviting connection to it, feeling it within as a settling into the quiet coherence, rest, and alignment with the wider rhythm of life.

It’s often a time for reflection — perhaps reflecting on the year that’s coming to a close, if this feels supportive for you, and gently let go of what’s no longer needed. I’ve shared my end-of-year journalling and word-of-the-year blogs in the comments for anyone that would like some starting points with this.

Today I will do a gentle yoga practice that includes restorative asanas and embrace the stillness and darkness, whilst gently welcoming the return of the light. In the early evening it’s my intention to have a short walk locally with family to see the Christmas lights and then I will light some candles — welcoming the return of the light.

If it feels right for you today, you might take a moment to honour the darkness and gently welcome the returning light.

I will leave you with a short poem I wrote called Winter Solstice — Light Guiding

Natures call
Moving inwards
The rhythm of resting and restoring
Nurturing all
In a harmonious flow

Resting within the darkness
Held in the light
Softly glowing
Starlight, moonlight, sunlight
Always present
Light within
Around
And beyond

A subtle quiet growth
Whispering in the rest
Rooting deeply to the earth
Aligned Earth to Sky
Listening
Following the light

20/12/2025

This quote was shared in the Facebook group this week and I thought it was a lovey gentle reminder to connect to the little things that regulate and nurture us. I thought I would share it here in case its helpful, maybe it resonates with you too.

20/12/2025

This is a great book 🙌🏻

The Gifts of Compassion turns 5 this month!! Published in 2020, I am still so proud of this little book, all about how giving and receiving compassion, including offering it to yourself, can truly transform lives. I’m convinced that the qualities and skills described in this book (and many other books written through a CFT lens) are a pathway to psychological wellbeing. Self-criticism remains so prevalent in the world, and learning to relate to ourselves (and others) with compassion can make all the difference! Go to my website stansteindl.com to find out more!!

20/12/2025

To all of my connections here, I’m wishing you a gentle and nourishing Christmas, and sending warm wishes for a happy and healthy 2026.

May there be many moments of joy, peace, ease, rest, restoration, and whatever else feels nurturing and supportive in your life.

Thank you for connecting here and for sharing your thoughts and reflections. I really value the sense of connection, sharing, and learning that happens in this space. I hope that something I’ve shared this year has been helpful or interesting in some small way — even if it has been for one person, it makes the time spent worthwhile.

I’ve shared a link in the comments to my latest newsletter, which includes Christmas opening hours and a blog that may be supportive over the festive period if you live with pain and/or fatigue. If you’d like to receive future newsletters, you’re welcome to sign up too.

I look forward to connecting, learning, and sharing with you all in 2026.

19/12/2025

🌿 Before the sun went down, I went outside to do a little weeding and connect with nature.

It was a beautiful, regulating way to end the working week. There’s something especially nurturing about weeding and connecting to the earth at this time of year.

Before coming inside, I stood near the old tree at the end of my garden, listening to the magpies chattering and feeling the cool air. Whilst gardening, a blackbird and robin sang occasionally

The time outside connected me to joy, spaciousness, wonder, peacefulness and groundedness.

What’s been nurturing and regulating in your day today?

19/12/2025

🎄 Christmas can be a wonderful time — and for many people it can also be a difficult one.

If you’re struggling with your mental health or anything else, please know you’re not alone. Many others find this time of year challenging too, and support is available.

If you need immediate help, please reach out for the support that feels right for you. One option is to contact one of the support lines listed in the image below. Reaching out is a sign of care for yourself — not a weakness.

If you’re feeling able, you could consider gently checking in with others. Sometimes a simple message or moment of connection can make a real difference.

18/12/2025

Today wasn’t the easiest of days as I had a difficult decision to make!

There was a little dysregulation initially with the need to make a choice, the level of uncertainty, and some things unsettled me. A whole array of emotions moved through — I felt them, witnessed them, watched them arise, change and complete. I compassionately noticed and listened within.

Many things can support us with challenging decisions including:
* Compassion
* Awareness
* Slowing down and fully being with what’s present
* Listening to the body’s wisdom
* Trust
* Grounding within the uncertainty
* Support from others

All of these were supportive for me today.

There’s always uncertainty with decisions and sometimes this amplifies. I leaned into the discomfort to hear the wisdom. I reached a decision and felt the expansion and softening.

This evening before tea I did a gentle yoga and meditation practice with lights and candles supporting a deepening of regulation, connecting to trust and surrender — a bit of a theme this week!

I also reached out to a couple of wise friends with a voice message or two — supportive connections matter.

17/12/2025

Sharing something from my day today and the importance of
* Awareness
* Practices/strategies to support ourselves
* How we start our day

🌱 How did you start your day?
💚 What’s been supportive for you today?

16/12/2025

14/12/2025

There was an amazingly beautiful morning sky again today 💜 I stood outside in my garden to watch the sunrise creating changes moments by moment across the winter sky.

A robin was singing, the wind picked up at times, and there was a tiny amount of rain in the wind now and then. I felt all of what was present with my feet grounding me to the earth, whilst observing the amazing sky.

These moments included: groundedness, spaciousness, joy, peacefulness, vitality, awe, connectedness and gratitude. It was a deeply grounding, calming, gently enlivening and nurturing way to start my day.

May there be some soothing and nurturing parts of your day today — perhaps pause with them, notice what’s present in your body and really take these moments in.

12/12/2025

🌿 The Body Knows What It Needs

Before making my tea this evening, I did a short yoga practice — soft lighting, quiet breath, gentle movement. I thought I’d finished…
and then my body quietly guided me into pigeon pose.

Afterwards I noticed that the tension between my shoulder blades — from a lot of computer work this week— had softened and released.

I hadn’t gone into the practice with this intention, it was simply a welcome bonus.

✨ A reminder that the body is wise, and when we listen, it often shows us what’s needed.

In work and in life, this kind of embodied self-awareness supports regulation, clarity, and sustainable presence.

💚 Have you had any moments today where your
body guided you to what was needed — even subtly?

12/12/2025

🌿 Do you choose a word of the year?

There are many ways to explore choosing a word. You might reflect on the year first, or begin directly with the word-exploration itself — choose whatever feels right, there’s no rule.

If you’d like guidance for exploring a word for next year, I’ve shared some in my new blog (link in comments).

My word for 2026 arrived naturally this year, along with my word for January, and it’s been guiding my reflections, creative work and awareness in the last quarter. The deep integration of this year inspired my poetry book, Living Wholeness, which is also my word for 2026. I’m self-publishing this book next year, and some wonderful people whose work I deeply respect are kindly reading it pre-publication.

Living Wholeness isn’t a state — it’s a way of being and relating, a compass for moving through life with compassionate awareness & presence, openness, and attunement. It incudes:
* Awareness
* Compassionate
* Rooted
* Open
* Connectedness
* Curious
* Surrendered/allowing
* Clarity
* Flow
* Soft & strong (“strong back, soft front” ~ Joan Halifax)
* Attuned
* Relational
* Harmony & coherence
* Aliveness
* Nature (connectedness, alignment, attunement, and living in harmony)

Choosing a word can be a gentle mindbodyspirit practice (no spaces intentionally here) — a way to invite deeper alignment, inner guidance, coherence, and attunement into your life. It becomes a thread through your days, helping you notice where you are in relation to your intentions, values, presence, and the rhythm of life within and around you.

I’ll share my January word later this month or early January.

I’d love to hear:
💭 Do you usually choose a word of the year? Or are you curious to try it for 2026?
💭 How does having a word of the year or month help you?
💭 What is your word is for 2026, or your monthly/seasonal word.