The Benefit of Taking a Fallow Period
- Dorian Martin
- May 2
- 1 min read
Summary:
This podcast describes the importance of taking a fallow period to recalibrate life and what that journey looked like for one woman.
Key Points:
A fallow period in agriculture is when farmers do not replant their fields so that the ecosystem can rest.
Similarly, when we take a fallow period personally, we can stop to reconsider who we are and what we want in our life.
Taking a fallow period can be beneficial at any time in a woman’s life.
The need for a fallow period can be signaled by somatic responses in a woman’s body, such as having a gut feeling, overwhelming exhaustion or a feeling of depression.
While this period can be disorienting, therapy and honest conversations with a partner can help clarify how to make choices.
Women’s fallow periods can be a radical recalibration in which our focus moves to our internal world instead of external exploration.
Reading, journaling and other forms of introspective exploration can be beneficial during this time.
Featured:
Jill Penaloza, who is a licensed art psychotherapist and a Sheng Zhen Meditation teacher.
Dorian Martin, who is the founder of I Start Wondering and a Sheng Zhen Meditation teacher.





This blog feels very thoughtful and reflective, especially for readers who enjoy exploring ideas around life, curiosity, and personal growth. I like how the content encourages people to think deeper and question things instead of just following routine thinking. Blogs like this are valuable because they create space for reflection and help readers connect with their own thoughts in a meaningful way. Similar lifestyle blogs often focus on intentional living, mindfulness, and self-awareness, helping people create a more balanced and purposeful life . In today’s digital world, people are engaging with many kinds of platforms, including spaces like my99exch, which shows how wide online exposure has become. What stands out here is the calm and simple presentation, which makes the…
Jill’s story completely resonated with and inspired me! I appreciated her willingness to share her specific challenges, the journey of her fallow time, and her resulting full and authentic life.