Winter Reflections & 7 Tips to Make the Most of It
Winter brings shorter, darker days… and if you’re in North Texas, the weather is pretty erratic.
It’s a common season for people to reflect on where they are in relation to where they want to be. For many, this results in some level of disappointment, defeat, and in some cases, depression. I hear regular reports of people feeling tired and overwhelmed, finding it difficult to get back to the grind after the holidays.
“I just want a break….”
“Thank God it’s the weekend.”
“I just want to do nothing and sleep…”
While we find ourselves saying something like the above, we seem ignore the message to slow down and rest. We’ve lost touch with seasonal rhythms and try to push through. No wonder we are overwhelmed and fatigued!
Since I have the privilege of intimately observing nature through personal and professional time outside, here are a couple things I’m reflecting on, followed by seven tips to make the most of the remaining days of Winter:
The days may be short and dark, but there is a magnificent display of light that is as warm as it is mesmerizing. It’s almost as though it’s more radiant against the dark, often colorless backdrop of Winter. The light serves as a reminder of hope and of longer, warmer, and brighter days yet to come.
Also, Winter reminds us that we must let go and die to what is no longer serving us. Letting go creates space for newness of life. As noted in an earlier post, I’m drawn to the metaphor that the wilderness is a space in which we may lose something in order to gain life… and that is my hope for you this season!
I’m reminded of the Prayer of Saint Francis Assisi:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace
Where there is hatred, let me sow love
Where there is injury, pardon
Where there is doubt, faith
Where there is despair, hope
Where there is darkness, light
And where there is sadness, joy
O Divine Master, grant that I may
Not so much seek to be consoled as to console
To be understood, as to understand
To be loved, as to love
For it is in giving that we receive
And it's in pardoning that we are pardoned
And it's in dying that we are born to eternal Life
Amen
In short, our feelings and experiences during Winter serve to help us slow and reflect in order to prepare and make room for new growth and life. It is a season of anticipation. Spring is coming!
7 tips to make the most of the remaining days of Winter:
Slow down by reducing commitments for a period of time.
Rest by getting adequate sleep and participating in activities that restore your energy.
Journal, listen to music or anything else that helps get in the headspace for intentional reflection.
Practice mindfulness; there are plenty of great apps and YouTube videos you can check out.
Observe nature; go for a slow walk in the woods or around a lake. Notice the activity of the birds and animals, the trees slow transition from letting go to preparation, and the radiant light.
Find a symbolic way to prepare your heart and life for Spring. Think about a garden as an example: late Winter/early Spring is the time where you remove any dead/old plants, clear away weeds, prune/trim, prepare the soil with nutrients then plant seeds/bulbs. So, you might consider planting Spring flowers or find another symbolic way to clear out anything that is dead and letting go of what is no longer serving you, while planting seeds for what you want to see more of.
Finally, find a mentor or therapist who can guide you through this process. It’s worth it! If you have questions about finding a therapist who is the right fit for you, please contact me. I’d love to help.