Tapping into Winter
Something I’ve been exploring lately has been what activities and strengths feel more intuitive during a particular season. When I think about winter, my mind first goes to avoidance: migrating and/or hibernating to avoid the cold. Yup… it feels pretty intuitive to seek out a pina colada on a warm beach or curl up in a warm bed. Putting those instincts aside for now, let’s tap into some other activities that feel intuitive during the winter months and play with our seasonal strengths.
Listen - with the muted winter months (after the holiday get-togethers ofc) comes an opportunity to listen to yourself, get to know who are and what you value, minus the world’s expectations. The Superhuman app is great for guided meditations and journal prompts.
Slow down - as my environment cools down, so does my inner hustle. Winter thus becomes an excellent time to focus on quality > quantity. Rather than going for all activities/aspirations asap, hit the pause button, take stock of it all and aim to work towards less, but higher quality, pursuits.
Rest - follow nature’s lead and tap into hibernation (at night). Play with elements you can add to your evening routine - legs up the wall, herbal teas, books, moisturizers, etc. Notice how changes to your routine impact your sleep and energy the next day. My current read is How to Get Away, for some decorating inspo. in our new home.
Get outside - although it doesn’t feel intuitive to seek out the cold, it feels really good once you do. Layer up, line up a pod and get your beautiful butt outside for a walk or whatever activity might be calling your name. Your heart, your mind, your lungs and your entire body will thank you for it.
Get moving - before signing up for all the exercise programs popping up in the new year (or getting overwhelmed and deciding against signing up for anything), take a moment to reflect on what movement activities you actually enjoy. Was there anything you did in the past year that brought you joy? What about that activity did you love? Was it who you were with, was it the convenience, was it the fact that it was something new? Winter is a great time to take stock of what worked for you in the past year, and doing so can help guide you towards activities that will fill you up in the new year.
