Winter has a gift and it is stillness. Many often dread the season of winter. Come October, the panic sets in. Light decreases leaving us with shorter days, cold surrounds us and it’s not long before our mood, patience and vitality feel out of sorts too. The holidays bustle around us like a freight train and we come into January hanging on by a thread.. Next we are counting the passing weeks as they slowly begin to glimmer with more light and lead us safely back to the land of fresh, budding botanicals.
This is the way it’s supposed to be though, right? New Englanders, we muscle through the cold weather and on the other side we celebrate by overextending ourselves through the bright, long sunny days of summer. The pattern repeats.
What if we have it wrong? I’d like to challenge that we do!
We are nature, humans are nature. Nature may seem like it’s dying. Leaves fall to the earth, tree limbs and branches are dismembered by stormy winds. The once luscious green grass is brown and crispy. Birds get the heck out of dodge to fly south and even bears rest until the coast is clear. What we don’t realize is that trees and all other aspects of nature are embracing the stillness. They are turning inwards, creating life for the spring. Life continues to run through their bodies, just at a quieter pace.
If we embrace the winter season like the rest of nature embodies it, we may actually be recharged for the spring and summer. We could move slowly through the cold, quiet season and come out refreshed, recharged, rejuvenated and budding with joy!
I am not implying it’s easy and I am not saying that folks are not justified to harness bitterness towards the dark, cold days of winter. Countries, like Sweden, embody what they call Hygge (Hooga) which translates loosely to a warm, cozy hug.
They have periods of time where they are only getting four hours of light/day. If they can do it, we can manage with our abundance of 10 hours of light.
So, how do we do it?? Here are some pillars to help you stay within the renewal of Winter.
ENVIRONMENT: more light! This could be many glowing candles surrounding your living room or twinkle lights from Christmas bordering your windows.
Keep lots of comfy blankets on hand to snuggle into, warm socks and clothes available if you are feeling extra cold. Let your body embrace coziness.
Find a fire place. It offers warmth, light and again lets you connect to nature.
SELF-CONNECTION: ! It can be a season of reflection, we have less to do for the most part or we have weather that might keep us inside. Find some time to reconnect with what stokes your internal fire. Take some time to review the year in the topics of finances, relationships, career or other goals you have in mind. If journaling isn’t your thing, lean into the arts like music and painting. These activities can still create pause and allow reflection.
NUTRITION:
-VIt D is a must–though it is not technically within my scope to prescribe supplements, I highly recommend it. Follow up with your doctor for a blood test or simply begin taking a trusted OTC. Technically, a hormone, it helps ALL the functions in our body. If your bones and muscles actually ache, then you need some Vit D. It can improve your mood and take away the crankiness of both your mind and body.
-Eat within the parameters of nature! Root veggies are grown underground and stored in dark places. It doesn’t get more winter than that! THey stick to your ribs, improve your blood viscosity for warmth and will increase your blood sugar–why? Because we need more glucose this time of year! (Be careful if you have insulin resistance and make sure to walk following your intake of root veggies.)
Taking care of nutrition can really bolster our hormones which will allow all the functions of our bodies to work better.
SLEEP:
-Do your own version of hibernation! Sleep earlier! It’s completely normal to feel more tired when it is colder and darker. (Conversely, it’s completely normal to want to stay awake longer in the summer.) If you must get up at the same time every day for work, then get into bed and even fall asleep earlier to maximize increasing your sleep. It might really help mood issues.
MOVEMENT:
Many people ask me if I do a winter sport and wonder how I get through winter without one. I have 2 dogs who love to run DAILY! I also get out on the weekends to walk them on different trails or get away for long weekends. I tried some winter sports and they just didn’t stick. But I have snow shoeing, cross country skiing and maybe learning to skate on the bucket list.
Yin yoga, meditation or breathwork are ways to slow down yet connect to your body. But whatever your jam is, you need to still move. I hear so many people that I coach say they are waiting until it’s not so cold to move outdoors. (We don’t get that luxury in MAINE. It’s cold for 6months!!) We need to move to keep our blood flowing, healthy mind, etc so moving is still essential even if it’s cold.
GET SOCIAL:
Get that movement with a friend! Take a bundled up, walk. Get cozy with the blankets and some nice tea or hot toddy if that’s more your speed. Create a potluck dinner and have everyone bring some warm, nourishing food.
Lastly, is my favorite, Gratitude. Even though winds are blowing, the snow is falling but we have a safe house to keep warm in. We have family to lean into and get cozy with. We have modern lights and heat that some places in the world do not have and likely were even harder to come by some 50-100 years ago.
There are many ways to make these months bearable. From November, when we turn back the clocks until Dec 21, Winter Solstice are the shortest days. From Dec until Spring Equinox is just under 90 days and the halfway point is called Imbolic (start of February). It’s also celebrated as the Feast of St Brigid or Ground hog’s day. 😀 We know only 6weeks are left as light begins to return even if the wintry weather hasn’t subsided yet.
Hopefully, these practices or knowing the timeline can make it easier to find a flicker of light within the darkness.