While I don’t love when we change the clocks back and the days get so much shorter, and while I also don’t love when temperatures start to drop, my feelings about winter have started to change. Maybe it’s because I’ve leaned so much into the concept of seasons – that our life has seasons, everything changes, everything passes, and we can learn to work with and even enjoy the realities of the season we are in. I’m currently reading How To Winter, by Kari Leibowitz, and she writes about going into winter with the mindset that, with the right preparation, it can be enjoyed, and that it doesn’t have to be bad but is simply different than the rest of the year. Winter is a part of the cycle of life. Everything needs a period of rest and dormancy in order to grow.
The concept of seasonality – recognizing and aligning with seasonal changes, instead of trying to power through with the same schedule and same expectations all year long – speaks to me so much. Especially as a woman, I think, more attuned to natural rhythms. I am finding myself not dreading winter. The early darkness and the cold can be a reminder to slow down and rest. I hope to find specific things to enjoy and plan for this winter, and I hope you do, too.
(Photo credit: Riccardo/Pexels)
