***Please note the silence in today’s episode is intentional to accommodate a series of journalling questions!***

Happy new year friends! The final episode of each season of this podcast is always a bittersweet moment. Christmas is behind us, we are deep in winter now, and a new year is upon us, with all its promise and possibility. I hope today’s episode eases you in thoughtfully, and leaves you hopeful about the year ahead. It includes:

* My favourite poem to read as a new year begins

* Twelve potent journalling questions (with silent writing time in between each one)

* Some thoughts on things to plant at this time of year

* An invitation to head outdoors, whatever the weather

* A special recipe from Great British Bake Off Finalist Christiaan de Vries

* A few ways to stay connected in the year ahead, if you’d like that

With inspiration from Max Ehrmann, Susan Coolidge and Christiaan de Vries. You can listen on iTunes, Spotify or here on Substack.

Thank you so much for journeying through the festive season with me this year. What a joy it has been. I hope you have enjoyed this 'winterlude’ as much as I have. Don’t forget to subscribe so you get notified when The Calm Christmas Podcast is back next November. Until then, I hope to see you on my other Substack @Beth Kempton.

✨Wishing you a light-filled 2026✨

Beth Xx

Lovely things for you

* ❤️ Our final giveaway on Instagram @bethkempton (The prize includes a personalised signed copy of my book The Way of the Fearless Writer, a Made of Stars journal by Meera Lee Patel, a goals journal from Mal Paper, a Midori sticky note pad to capture your ideas for the new year, and a complimentary place on my online class Do What You Love: the life-changing e-course.

* ❤️ MOON+SHADOW - a beautiful one-day virtual winter writing retreat taking place on Sunday January 11, 2026. This is FREE to all members of my private writing community SoulCircle. If you aren’t a member yet you can join here (choose Monthly to try it out or Annual to get a lovely discount). If you are already a member you don’t need to do anything. I’ll be sending out more details soon.

* ❤️ Join me for a gorgeous live seven-week deep dive writing and Substack immersion INK+FLAME, which begins on January 26. You can get 30% off if you register here by January 12.

* ❤️ You can get a huge 30% off ALL my writing and personal development classes (or 50% off bundles of inspiring classes to guide you through the year) in my gratitude sale (on here until Monday January 12, 2026).

Other links

* Desiderata by Max Ehrmann

* New Every Morning by Susan Coolidge

Ingredients for Christiaan De Vries’ Fluffy Pancakes

* Your usual pancake ingredients (here’s BBC Good Food’s Easy Pancake Recipe)

* Raisins

* A bit of rum

* Butter

* Icing sugar

Image: Holly Bobbins

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit calmchristmas.substack.com