Resets and Rituals for Midlife Calm, Cozy Yoga Life Ep 23

In this episode of Cozy Yoga Life, I share the power of resets and rituals—two small but mighty ways to bring more calm and clarity into your days.

We’ll talk about:

• What resets really are (and how nervous system science backs them up)
• The difference between resets and rituals, and why you need both
• Simple, real-life examples you can start today
• How yoga philosophy offers timeless guidance for slowing down and listening to your body
• Why these practices matter especially for GenX women navigating midlife and menopause
• Cozy, seasonal ideas for creating rituals this fall

This episode is your permission slip to slow down, reset, and live in alignment with your truest self, without adding another “should” to your list.

Connect with me:

• Subscribe to my YouTube channel
• Send me a DM on Instagram
• Follow me on TikTok
• Visit Cozy Yoga Life
• Join the Insiders Circle

Transcript

0:03

I am Shannon Caldwell and this is Cozy Yoga Life. I've spent the last 25 years living and teaching yoga, and I'm here to help you bring that wisdom into your daily life with clarity, comfort, and always a dash of coziness. Welcome back, Cozy Crew. Today I wanna talk about something that feels especially important in this season of life, resets and rituals. If you're like me and most of us, gen X women and navigating midlife, you've probably noticed that your days feel fuller than ever. Between careers caregiving, shifting hormones, and just trying to keep up with life. It can feel like there's no breathing room left. But here's the thing, midlife is also a season of reclaiming. We've spent decades showing up for everyone else. And now we get to ask, what do I actually want my days to feel like? That's where resets and rituals come in. They're not about adding another chore to your to do list or chasing some perfect wellness routine. They're about creating little anchors of calm that bring you back to yourself, whether that's a quick nervous system reset when you're overwhelmed, or a daily ritual that steadies your rhythm. In this episode, I'll share what resets and rituals really are, why have they matter, and how to we them into your life in ways that feel practical, cozy, and doable. We'll talk some science and some yoga philosophy. Most of all, I want this to be a permission slip to slow down, to reset, and to live in alignment with who you are now in this season of life. When I say reset, I'm talking about those small moments that help you pause, breathe, and shift your energy. A reset can look like many things. Sometimes it's taking a nap, going to bed early or closing your eyes for five minutes. Other times it's a nervous system reset where you interrupt the stress responses and bring yourself back into balance. That might be stepping outside for fresh air, shaking out your arms and shoulders, or simply taking three slow breaths. Our nervous systems, weren't designed for the kind of constant stimulation and stress we live with today, and especially in midlife when hormones are shifting, our resilience to stress can feel lower. Resets are how we stop the spiral before it carries us away and science backs this up. Studies from Stanford show that just five minutes of intentional breathing can significantly lower anxiety and boost your mood. Other research points to the vagus nerve, which helps regulate our stress response. Practices that lengthen your exhale, like slow breathing and even humming, stimulate that nerve and tell your body you're safe. You can relax. So when you feel frazzled, overwhelmed, or on edge, a reset isn't a luxury, it's a necessity. It's your body's way of saying, let's recalibrate so we can keep going. Now that we've defined what a reset is, let's get practical. Let's look at some additional examples of resets. You can step outside, experience nature, feel the sun, the breeze, or just look at the sky and the trees. Listen to the birds. You can splash cold water on your face or even run your wrists under cool water. You can walk outside, take a short trip around the block or to your mailbox. Little bit of movement always shifts your energy. One of my favorites, put on some music you love and let yourself enjoy one song without multitasking. Dance around in your kitchen if you like. Notice how none of these require special equipment or a big block of time. They're small course corrections and that's what makes them powerful. A reset is about giving your nervous system a chance to catch its breath so you can catch yours. Now about rituals. If resets are those quick course corrections that help you pause in the moment, rituals are the steady anchors that keep you grounded over time. A ritual is something you choose intentionally and return to it again and again. Think of them as touchstones, practices that create predictability and a sense of safety in your day. For some people it's their morning coffee or tea. For others, it's a skincare routine at night, lighting a candle before journaling, or a Sunday evening reset before the week begins. These are the rhythms that make you feel like yourself. And here's the beauty of rituals. The more you have woven into your days, the less often you find yourself needing emergency resets. Because rituals provide structure, comfort, and a sense of flow, they help your nervous system regulate before stress gets overwhelming. Science backs this up too. Studies show that rituals, even simple ones, like setting your intention before a task, reducing anxiety and improve your focus. In fact, researchers at Harvard found that rituals lower what's called error related negativity in the brain. That's the little alarm bell that goes off when you're worried about making a mistake. In other words, rituals calm the mind so you can show up with more clarity. So where resets help us stop the spiral in the moment, rituals are what keep us steady in the long run, and both are essential. Some of mine are the morning stretches before I even get out of bed, opening up my curtains, enjoying the sunshine then going downstairs to make my daily smoothie. Those are three rituals that I've come to depend on. The thing about rituals is they don't have to be elaborate. They don't have to look like anyone else's. They're about grounding yourself in small, repeatable actions that create comfort and consistency. And when life gets hectic and it will, rituals are what help you return to yourself. Let me share a little real life example of how resets and rituals have shown up for me. Summer is always a disruption in routines. Kids are home from school. There's vacations, shifts in schedules. I usually think of it as kind of a voluntary reset. Things loosen up, structure softens, and that's not always a bad thing. It gives me and the rest of the family a chance to breathe differently for a while. But just as I was ready to slide back into my cozy rituals, my son shared his back to school germs with me. I was achy, exhausted, and ended up spending most of the weekend in bed. That was an involuntary reset. My body hit pause for me. At first, I felt guilty. I had plans. I wanted to get back into my rhythms, but that weekend of sleep was the reset I needed. And once I started to feel better, I was able to ease back into my rituals, slowly layering them in again, one by one. That's the thing. Life gives us both: voluntary resets, where we loosen up intentionally, and involuntary ones where our body or circumstances demand it And rituals are what help us come back to ourselves afterward. Both matter, both work together. And if you're wondering where to start with your own resets and rituals. That's actually why I wrote the Yoga of Decluttering. Now, it's not just a book about cleaning out closets. It's really about creating space in your life physically, mentally, and emotionally, so you can breathe easier. Inside. I share practical real life ways to layer resets and rituals into your days. Little things that don't feel overwhelming, but make a big difference in how calm and clear your life feels. Because decluttering isn't just about stuff. It's also about resetting your nervous system and creating those cozy rituals that support the life you want to live. Speaking of yoga. One of the biggest shifts I've noticed in my own practice over the years is how it's changed right along with me. In my twenties and thirties, I loved the physically intense practices, the challenging flows, the sweat, the push. But as I've moved into midlife, into menopause, what my body and nervous system crave most are the quieter, more introspective practices. These days my yoga often looks like restorative poses, breath work, meditation, or even journaling. Practices that feel less like performance and more like nourishment, and that's exactly the heart of resets and rituals. Yoga has always been about more than postures. It's about paying attention to what you need in every season of life. In yoga philosophy, there's tapas, which is about discipline and self-study. Rituals are where disciplines show up. The daily choices and anchors you return to. Resets are where self-study remind you to pause, soften, and listen to what your body and mind actually need. Both are yoga. Both are mindfulness, and both are essential to living in alignment with who we really are right now. So why do resets and rituals matter so much in menopause? First, because our bodies are changing. These hormonal shifts during perimenopause and menopause directly affect our nervous systems. Many women notice their stress tolerance feels lower, sleep gets disrupted, and anxiety creeps in where it wasn't before. Studies show that practices like intentional breathing can calm your nervous system and lower cortisol, our main stress hormone. One Stanford study even found that just five minutes of simple breath practice reduces anxiety and lifts your mood. Second, our roles are changing. Many of us are juggling careers, caregiving, aging parents managing households, and still trying to carve out time for ourselves. That constant pressure takes a toll. Rituals offer predictability and emotional safety when everything else feels in flux. And studies have shown that even simple rituals reduce performance anxiety, improve focus, and help you regulate your emotions. And third, this stage of life is about reclaiming. After decades of showing up for everyone else, resets and rituals give us a way to show up for ourselves. They're not about the hustle. Again, they're about living in alignment with who we are now and creating the calm and clarity we deserve. So as we move into fall, I want to leave you with a little permission slip. The days are about to get shorter. The air cooler and nature itself is preparing for a reset. Trees will shed their leaves, animals will slow down, and the earth will shift into a quieter a rhythm. We get to follow that same wisdom. This season invites us to slow down, let go of what we don't need, and create cozy rituals that keep us grounded. Maybe it's that cup of tea in the morning or the evening walk after the sun sets. Fall especially offers opportunities to begin new rituals. Snuggling under a favorite blanket, pulling out a beloved sweater, or making a weekly trip for your favorite pumpkin spiced treat. Small seasonal rituals like these can bring a little joy and rhythm into your days. So this week I invite you to choose one reset and one ritual. Let them be simple. Let them be yours. Or if you don't have any cozy rituals yet, what's one simple one you could begin? Something that feels grounding, nourishing, or just a little bit soothing. Whatever it looks like for you, remember this, the little things matter. Resets and rituals don't need to be perfect because they're about being present. And if you try out a new ritual or reset this week, I'd love to hear about it. Share it with me on Instagram@theshannoncaldwell, or follow along on TikTok, where I share many resets and rituals you can use anytime, anywhere. Until next time, Cozy Crew, keep it simple, keep it cozy, and keep showing up for yourself. That wraps another episode of Cozy Yoga Life. Until next time, may you move with intention, rest with purpose, and live in alignment. Remember, it's all yoga. Be sure to check out the latest blog or come say hi on Instagram.