Aligning With Winter
It is natural to feel sluggish this time of year—to feel inwardly tired of the darkness and cold. We may feel ourselves desiring to sleep or eat more. We may feel less motivated to be productive. I stumbled upon a wonderful podcast several weeks ago called The Living Experiment. After listening to their episode on “Winter”, I became more aware of how I might strategize living my life in alignment with the seasons. In Salt Lake City, Utah— it is clearly winter. If you happen to live elsewhere, feel free to adapt your answers to whatever season you may find yourself in!
A FEW THINGS I MIGHT CONSIDER TO ALIGN WITH WINTER ARE…
What to Eat—I appreciate warm foods amidst the chill of winter. Think about what brings you comfort. What feels nourishing to you? I notice when it comes to dinner, I naturally turn to soups and stews. I appreciate using root vegetables. The occasional organic meats. Hearty greens like kale or spinach. I made a hearty spaghetti sauce the other evening, that we served over a whole grain pasta with a side of roasted broccoli and cauliflower. It tasted amazing and felt incredibly nourishing! The flavors of winter tend to be richer, heartier, and more grounding than the foods I turn to during the summer. months. While smoothies might feel wonderful amidst the heat of summer, I will often add a bowl of oat brain hot cereal to that green smoothie or a vegetable omelet with avocado. I find eating different foods that reflect the changing seasons gives my diet a natural variety of nutrients and it also keeps things interesting.
How Long to Sleep — I tend to sleep more in the winter as my body is affected by the increase in darkness. There are times when I am ready to call it a day and have fully changed into my pajamas by 7 pm! The main dynamic I notice is that I fall asleep earlier. You may have a strong desire to sleep later. What if we worked with that? I do have to be mindful about getting up at the same time each day as I have struggled with insomnia in the past. Honor yourself and your own needs. It feels downright decadent to have soft clothes on and to read in bed at 9 pm. Invite your kids in and have them bring their softest blankets. Light some candles. Read together or listen to a bedtime meditation. Be where you are. Embrace the natural wind down that a winter’s evening can provide!
What to Read/Consume— I have a friend who dedicates the entire month of January to reading the books on her list. That is her focus for the month of January (shoutout Chelsea!). Isn’t that a beautiful idea? I am mindful of what I read during the winter months as I am naturally processing grief and reflecting more on my life. Because I have so much going on inside of me, I gravitate toward books and television that will not further burden or overwhelm me. That is not to say that I am reading fluff from November to March but I do integrate some pleasure reading into my regular mix. That goes for television too. A little buoyancy goes a long way! And just to mix things up—reading something dark or with a bit of grit can feel strangely validating too. The key is to be mindful of your own emotional state here. If you naturally feel a bit emotionally heavy during the winter months, consider not piling on with the content you choose to consume! Give yourself a little break as spring will soon be here with its undeniable hope and optimism.
How Social to Be—I tend to enjoy being alone. I find that when my energy is naturally lower, I want to rein in my outward life a little. I move toward my core relationships and edit out the rest this time of year. For a more extroverted person, it might feel better to increase how social you are. The connection with other people might provide you with extra energy. What do you need? The point here is to be intentional about what feels supportive to you.
How to Approach Movement—I also move differently in the summer than I do in the winter. I enjoy hiking, lifting (or building muscle), and practicing yoga this time of year, as I find this mix works with my body. Does your body feel in flow with your current routine? At times, the goals we make can be at odds with how we actually feel. If I created an exercise routine that included running most days because I wanted to increase my cardio fitness—not only would I would be less apt to do it but it would also feel punishing to my body. I just do not have the energy or drive right now. Do you change how you approach movement with the seasonal changes?
What Seasonal Comforts to Incorporate —I do love a little pleasure and comfort scattered in my days. Some options are consistent year round like—walking in nature, meditating, drinking hot coffee in the morning, wearing soft clothes, or sitting in the sun. Other practices might fit better within a certain season.
A few pleasure practices for the winter months might be…
scheduling a massage or two
having candles on hand to light
stocking up on bath salts for an evening bath
gathering together in the evening to watch a television series
investing in quality outdoor clothing that stands up to the weather
reading in the afternoon by the fire
IT CAN BE TREMENDOUSLY RELIEVING TO WORK WITH AND TRUST OURSELVES AMIDST THE WINTER MONTHS INSTEAD OF RESISTING. IS THERE AN AREA YOU FEEL YOU COULD ALIGN BETTER WITH WINTER? WHAT IS WORKING FOR YOU THIS WINTER SEASON?
