While it is not officially winter until the solstice on December 21, the season of winter here in Vermont is in full swing! Even if you live somewhere where the weather is not signaling winter, you may be feeling it. The slowing down of some things, the holidays, the year wrapping up and leading to a fresh new one.
I am offering this list to help you to embrace the winter season.
-Enjoy the climate where you are one little bit more than you do at this time of year. For me, it’s cold and snowy in the winter, and it is already. Years ago, tired of resisting winter and not appreciating it for most of my life, I decided to spend more time outside and enjoying the beauty. I looked up the health benefits of being out in the cold (there are many) and I even took up snow shoeing which I loved.
-The term wintering refers to as the art of embracing the slower, quieter time as an opportunity for rest, reflection and renewal. Wintering means the act of withdrawing from the world more than usual to focus on one’s inner world, active acceptance of dark and cold times; a form of calm resilience. “Inner winters” may happen at any time of the year- signaling a time to take a break and recalibrate.
-Winter can be an actual season, or a season of life. Winter in life, as in the season, is kind of like a holding pattern where things are brewing, but not much is seen. Plants, trees, the natural world- winter is a part of their cycle of life.
“This winter, I am leaning into hibernation. I am aware of my need for more sleep
in the darker months. More warm drinks and comfort food. More self care and slower
days. I am not fighting it, I am not feeling guilty about it. I am wintering.“
Never Empty Nest on Instagram
–Wrap up the most important goals for the year. Leave this year with a feeling of momentum. If there is a lot still on your list, pick the one most important one (see last week’s post) and don’t try to do everything. Two things I am wrapping up can be good for wintering. One for sure is meeting my books read challenge. I love having a book reading challenge every year- not to get myself to want to read, but to help me to prioritize it. I love to read and it seems like such a luxury I sometimes relegate it to after I get the important” things done. I have learned that me reading fuels everything I do in the best way.
My other wrap up is to walk 1000 miles for the year, logged on my Nike Run app. As I write this I am 15 miles away! I have already surpassed last year’s total of 931. I am telling you this because it might inspire you to create your own challenge of some sort in 2026. I decided to go for 1000 because someone else inspired me. To stay in wintering mode with this, I will be walking alone most of the time. This allows for lots of space for the reflection I mentioned about.
–Reflection questions for wintering to take to your journal or in your head while you walk:
–What did I enjoy most this year?
–How can I create more of that next year?
–How will I take even better care of myself next year? (specifically)
–What choices do I have available to me to change an area of my life for the better next year? What area? What choices?
–What can I do/plan right now, over the next three weeks to get more rest, to nourish myself in alignment with the season, to make sure I am moving, but gently, and to create a sense of renewal within myself with which to begin the new year? Who will support me and/or hold me accountable?
A few weeks ago I passed someone while out walking who was telling everyone who would listen how awful winter was and that he might finally just have to move to Florida. That day it had freshly snowed, a fairly early storm. It was spectacularly beautiful out and fresh and crisp. He was missing the beauty. That is what resisting the season looks like. He is not moving to Florida. He is in danger of losing chunks of his life which could be joyful, to being mad at that which he can not control, but has every ability to choose a way of living in it in joy. Could it be you? It was me once upon a time.
I hope you figure out how to embrace your winter, your way.