Late November carries a unique kind of stillness. It’s not quite the end of the year, but close enough that many people begin to exhale in ways they didn’t realize they needed.
For some athletes, this time feels grounding.
For others, it brings a mix of emotions — tiredness, relief, nostalgia, anticipation, or a bit of all of it layered together.
And for many former athletes, this season still stirs rhythms the body remembers, even long after competition has ended.
This post is not about deciding whether this time of year should feel easy or complicated. It’s about acknowledging that late November invites us all — athletes, former athletes, coaches, and parents — to pause long enough to notice what we’ve carried, what we’ve learned, and what we need next.
The Space Between What Was and What’s Coming
This time of year can shift our internal pace. Schedules loosen, weather cools, practices change, travel begins, and the emotional tone of our environments shifts.
In my work with athletes and former athletes, I hear:
- “I’m so done with this year.”
- “I feel grateful… but exhausted.”
- “I’m excited to go home, and also, my family is complicated.”
- “I’m not sure what I need right now.”
Whatever you’re feeling is valid.
Whatever this season brings up — steadiness or overwhelm, peace or nostalgia, it’s okay.
The End of November Brings Its Own Energy
For many, late November can bring:
- A longing for rest
- Fatigue after months of training or work
- Gratitude mixed with emotional heaviness
- Shifts in routine
- Anticipation of the month ahead
- Reflection on goals met, missed, or changed
- A quiet desire to reconnect with self
None of these are signs of weakness. They are signs of being human at the end of a long year.
A Moment of Recalibration
This season is an invitation — not a mandate — to:
- Slow down
- Reconnect
- Recenter
- Breathe
- Honor the work you’ve done
- Acknowledge what you’ve carried
You don’t need to “find meaning” right away. Just notice what your body and your heart are asking for. Sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do at the end of the year is listen.
If You’re an Athlete Heading Into a Break
A break is not falling behind.
A pause is not regression.
Rest is not losing ground.
Rest is reset.
Rest is integration.
Rest is the other half of performance.
Let this season support your nervous system rather than strain it.
If You’re a Former Athlete
Late November can evoke a pull toward the past — the seasons your body remembers, the sense of identity tied to competition, the familiar swell of excitement or pressure.
This month can be a tender reminder of who you were — and how far you’ve come.
Allow the feelings without judgment. Both the warmth and the ache belong.
If You Support Athletes (Parents, Coaches, Providers)
Guess what? We are human, too.
We experience this season deeply… too.
The shifts in schedules.
The competing expectations.
The disrupted routines.
The emotional highs and lows that stack on top of everything we’re already carrying.
Parents feel it.
Coaches feel it.
Providers feel it.
This time of year can stir up our own histories, our own pressures, our own fatigue. It doesn’t mean we’re not doing enough — it means we’re living full, complex lives while also showing up for people we care about.
Before tending to anyone else’s emotional landscape, please make space for your own.
Take the breath you need.
Ask for the support you deserve.
Honor the truth that your well-being matters just as much as theirs.
When you care for yourself, you rediscover the steadiness and compassion needed to meet this season — and your athletes — with intention rather than depletion.
Final Thought
This season offers each of us a quiet turn inward — a moment to recognize how much we’ve lived this year, how much we’ve held, and how much we deserve to restore.
You don’t have to wrap the year up with a bow.
You don’t have to feel a certain way.
You don’t have to be ready for what comes next.
You only need to keep showing up to yourself — gently, honestly, and with compassion.
Let November be a soft landing place.
A pause before December.
A breath before the next beginning.
Stay Connected
For weekly reflections on identity, rest, mental performance, and the inner life of athletes and communities, visit lcollinslcsw.com/athleteilluminated.
In solidarity,
Laura
Reflection Prompts
Take a few mindful minutes this week to explore:
- What part of me feels more tired than usual — and what is that part asking for?
- What did I carry this year that deserves acknowledgment?
- Where can I allow even a little more ease in my routines this month?
- What do I want to let soften as the year winds down?
Note: This and every Athlete Illuminated post is for educational purposes only and not a replacement for mental health treatment. If you are in urgent need of mental health support, please call 9-8-8. If you are experiencing an emergency, please call 9-1-1 or go to your nearest emergency room. For ongoing concerns, consider seeking professional support or therapy.
The Athlete Psychotherapist 
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