The Jewish High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and the period in between, give us a chance to pause, reflect, and ask the most important questions about how we are living our lives. What dreams are you ready to embrace? What relationships are waiting for repair? What intentions have been quietly resting on your heart?
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The days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, known as the 10 Days of Awe, invite us to realign with our truest selves. It is a time to release what no longer serves us, to seek forgiveness, and to step more fully into the lives we know we are meant to live. Instead of being weighed down by regret, we are encouraged to choose with intention and walk forward with clarity and purpose.
Why Yom Kippur Matters
Yom Kippur is often misunderstood as a day of punishment or deprivation. In reality, it is one of the most empowering spiritual practices we have. On this day, we refrain from food, water, and even daily routines like brushing our teeth—not to harm ourselves, but to symbolically step outside of ordinary life. We’re reminded that the future is unknown and that each year is a gift.
It's also a way to wake ourselves up. By not eating, drinking, brushing our teeth, showering, we're the closest we ever have been to death. That's on purpose. It begs the question: if we were to die tomorrow, have we lived a life of purpose? Have we lived a life that we can be proud of? And if not, it's time to wake up. This is your chance to make a change, before it's too late.
Yom Kippur is also about renewal. We don't hit our hearts or ask for forgiveness because we've been“bad.” We do those things because we're human, and humans mess up sometimes. This holy day helps us gently chip away at the habits, resentments, and distractions that block us from living as our fullest selves. We're not trying to punish ourselves, instead, we're opening space for love, connection, and meaning to flow in.
Choosing Life With Intention
When we use this season to make amends, to ask forgiveness, and to set heartfelt intentions, we create a foundation for a life we can truly be proud of. Each step toward honesty, kindness, and purpose is a step toward joy.
The gift of the Ten Days of Awe is the reminder that it’s never too late to begin again. Each year, we are given the opportunity to reimagine our lives, to re-center our values, and to choose a path that aligns with the person we want to be. That is the heart of this season and the reason it continues to inspire, generation after generation.