In December, the forests on Bowen go extra quiet, the understory clears, and what remains in the winter is what holds. Resilience grows when we tell the truth about our year, name what cost us energy, widen our window of tolerance, and practise the skills that shorten our return to baseline. With yoga, breathwork, and reflective writing, we can evaluate honestly and stay with ourselves rather than avoid what is hard.
Nectar sits in a temperate rainforest on Bowen Island, a short ferry from Vancouver. Recognized by the New York Times and Condé Nast Traveler as one of the leading wellness retreats in British Columbia, our approach to self accountability is practical and kind. We locate resilience in the body first, then we ask the mind to take responsibility for choices.
What IS Resilience?
Resilience is the capacity to absorb stress, adapt, and recover with minimal collateral damage. In the body, it shows up as three skills working together:
Interoception: your ability to sense inner signals in real time. Heart rate, breath depth, jaw tension, temperature shifts, butterflies in the stomach, among other somatic cues. Better interoception means you notice early signs and can intervene sooner with posture changes, paced breathing, or another actionable.
Vagal braking: the parasympathetic brake the vagus nerve applies to the heart and stress response. A stronger brake helps you downshift after activation. You feel this as a quicker settle, warmer hands, and steadier attention. Long, slow exhales, gentle ujjayi, humming, and nasal breathing all support vagal tone.
Return to steady breath: your speed of recovery back to a calm, even respiratory rhythm. Signs include a softer belly, unclenched jaw, shoulders releasing down, and the ability to speak in full sentences without rushing. Aim for a smooth inhale and a slightly longer exhale through the nose.
In behaviour, resilience is keeping small agreements with yourself when things are messy. Choose commitments you’ll honour even on shaky days: five slow breaths before a tense reply; a daily Supported Bridge Pose (see below); staying curious and asking for clarification rather than defaulting to defensiveness; speaking plainly when you advocate; lights out at a set time. Kept agreements reduce spillover into sleep, relationships, and work, and rebuild trust in your word.
Resilience is body literacy, timely regulation, and consistent follow-through. It is intent paired with impact. Intent without impact is performance; impact without intent can feel harsh.
This month’s sequence pairs simple postures with measurable breath and a short writing practice. The aim is to leave each session with one small promise you can keep next week.
