My original intention for this January newsletter was to focus on cortisol—what it is, why it matters, and how we can work with it rather than against it. I planned to share a bit about its role in our physiology, outline how chronically elevated cortisol contributes to metabolic dysfunction, obesity, insulin resistance, immune suppression, fatigue, and poor recovery, and offer actionable steps to help regulate it. That content is still important—and you’ll find a digestible bolus of it here—but plans are also underway for a February webinar and deeper-dive blog post, where we’ll explore cortisol regulation in much greater depth. Stay tuned.
What I didn’t expect was how personally stirred I’ve felt this season.
Over the past several weeks, I’ve noticed an increased intensity of emotion, reflection, and inner movement—prompted by what I’ve been listening to, reading, and witnessing both in my community and in myself. Rather than ignore that impulse, I’ve chosen to honor it. My hope is that by sharing what’s been resonating with me, how it’s shaping my own practices, and what I plan to carry into the new year, you might find some inspiration of your own.
So first—let’s talk about cortisol.
Cortisol: More Than “The Stress Hormone”
Most people recognize cortisol as the stress hormone, and while that label isn’t wrong, it’s woefully incomplete. Cortisol is not the villain it’s often made out to be. In fact, cortisol is essential for survival. Without it, we would quite literally perish.
Cortisol is a steroid hormone derived from cholesterol and produced in the adrenal cortex. It belongs to the glucocorticoid family and plays a central role in metabolism, immune regulation, circadian rhythm, and energy balance. Its production is governed by the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and follows a natural diurnal rhythm: cortisol should peak in the early morning—helping us wake, mobilize energy, and meet the day—and then gradually decline into the evening, allowing for rest, repair, and sleep.
Physiologically, cortisol’s primary job is to ensure adequate glucose availability during times of increased demand. It does this by:
- Stimulating glycogenolysis, the breakdown of stored glycogen in the liver to rapidly release glucose into the bloodstream
- Promoting gluconeogenesis, the creation of new glucose molecules from amino acids and other non-carbohydrate substrates
- Facilitating lipolysis, the breakdown of stored fat into free fatty acids that can be used for energy or redistributed to other tissues—often favoring central (abdominal) fat storage when cortisol is chronically elevated.
Cortisol also exerts potent anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects—so much so that synthetic glucocorticoids are widely used in autoimmune and inflammatory conditions.
All of these actions are adaptive and necessary during acute stress: exercise, fasting, illness, or brief psychological challenges. In these contexts, cortisol is protective.
The problem arises when stress is no longer acute—but chronic.
When Adaptation Becomes Maladaptation
Modern life presents a unique challenge to our biology. Since the early 2000s, a concept known as evolutionary mismatch has been discussed across biology, medicine, psychology, economics, and social science. It refers to what happens when the environment changes faster than our physiology can adapt.
In simple terms: our nervous systems and hormonal responses evolved for a world that no longer exists.
Today’s stressors are constant, abstract, and relentless. Deadlines replace predators. Notifications replace natural rhythms. Add to that disrupted sleep, unrelenting blue light exposure, irregular meals, alcohol, ultra-processed foods, environmental toxins, and perpetual stimulation—and cortisol is asked to stay “on” far longer than it was ever designed to.
This is especially pronounced during the holiday season. Many of us are juggling work deadlines, social obligations, travel, and expectations—while trying to maintain routines and habits that normally support our health. I won’t even begin to catalog the physiological stress imposed by festive food, sugar, alcohol, and environmental exposures.
As James Clear reminds us, “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” This truth feels especially relevant right now. If you’d like support in building sustainable systems that carry you through seasonal upheaval and unexpected life changes, I encourage you to revisit my December blog series on habit formation (blog Intro) (blog 2) (blog 3) (blog 4).
When cortisol remains chronically elevated or its circadian rhythm becomes disrupted, its once-beneficial effects become pathological. The result can be impaired glucose regulation, insulin resistance, altered fat distribution, immune suppression, heightened pain perception, accelerated aging, fatigue, and diminished resilience.
Which brings me to what’s been stirring in me personally.
The Quiet Invitation to the Heart
I’ve learned to pay attention when themes begin repeating themselves in my awareness. When ideas arrive from different directions, in different voices, around the same time, I take it as a signal.
The first synchronicity appeared through Chris’s and Dr. Hudson’s blog posts last month on meditation and gratitude. The second emerged when one of our members shared that she’s begun noticing greater compassion and forgiveness toward herself—describing it simply as having grace. The third came from a book I’ve been listening to, Into the Magic Shop by Dr. James Doty.
We are, after all, in a season of giving, gratitude, grace, and goodwill. And yet so many people continue to suffer—through economic hardship, loss of faith, loneliness, or lack of love and fellowship.
As I reflected on all of this, I couldn’t ignore the places where I, too, struggle—particularly with a harsh inner critic that interferes with self-confidence, and a lingering difficulty with self-forgiveness. It was in this space of reflection that a chapter I had recently encountered began calling me back: Chapter Eleven, The Alphabet of the Heart.
It felt less like a suggestion and more like an invitation.
A Practice for Calming the Nervous System and the Heart
I want to share this practice with you as a simple, accessible tool—one that can help temper cortisol levels, reduce reactivity, and gradually unwind chronic stress through consistent use.
Dr. Doty describes a meditation known as The Alphabet of the Heart, using the letters C through L as a mnemonic to cultivate ten essential heart-centered qualities.
His suggested practice is as follows:
- Begin by relaxing the body and calming the mind through mindful breathing.
- Slowly recite the letters C through L, reflecting on each quality.
- Choose one quality as your intention for the day (e.g., compassion).
- Return to that quality throughout the day whenever you feel dysregulated or challenged.
The Alphabet of the Heart
- C — Compassion: Recognizing suffering with a desire to alleviate it, beginning with oneself
- D — Dignity: Honoring the inherent worth of every human being, including yourself
- E — Equanimity: Maintaining balance and openness amid life’s ups and downs
- F — Forgiveness: Releasing resentment and letting go of past harm
- G — Gratitude: Appreciating what is present and meaningful
- H — Humility: Recognizing oneself as equal to others, without superiority or diminishment
- I — Integrity: Living with honesty, consistency, and moral clarity
- J — Justice: Standing for fairness and protecting the vulnerable
- K — Kindness: Actively recognizing the humanity in others
- L — Love: Opening fully to unconditional love for self and others
What I love most about this practice is how seamlessly it fits into real life. I’ve begun implementing it each morning after being woken up by my cat, Charles. While he oscillates between playful and peaceful, he often settles beside me—within arm’s reach—giving me a few quiet moments to breathe, pet him, and gently move through the alphabet, setting a single intention for the day.
No apps. No perfection. Just presence.
Closing Thoughts
My hope is that this post reminds you that you have the ability to influence your stress response—to soften it, shape it, and gradually re-train your nervous system toward greater psychological and physiological resilience. Through mindful breathing, intentional focus, and consistent practice, we can reduce the chronic stress we carry and create space for something gentler to emerge.
Wishing you a new year filled with grace, warmth, and a little magic.
Here’s to an intentional, restorative, and transformative start to the new year, dear reader—one grounded in awareness, self-compassion, and practices that support true resilience.