I have always hated winter.
The darkness.
The cold.
The lack of sunlight.
That feeling that nature and the outside haven’t woken up yet makes me feel the same way. The cold, dark nights make me want to crawl under a blanket and not come out until spring.
This winter I decided to embrace it, instead of falling into a deep hole of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) despair. I had been told about ‘Wintering’ – a concept evolved by author Katherine May that looks at winter as a time of retreat and hibernation for most of the natural world and when humans seek rest and recuperation. I haven’t read the book yet (I need to), but I have fully embraced the concept of wintering and for the first time in my nearly 40 years have enjoyed January and February.
I made minimal plans. I went on long winter walks with my dog (a 32kg ball of frustrated energy will not allow you to hide under a blanket all day). I cooked delicious hearty meals. I started reading again, having fallen out of the habit. I went to the gym and moved my body, even when I really didn’t want to. I didn’t make many (if any) social plans and just spent time with my person and my pup – my family. I sat under the blanket with comforting cups of tea and rested.
Rest.
It can often be a foreign concept to me as I love to potter and there is always something that needs to be done. But I spent time resting and listening to my body when it was tired. Instead of fighting how I felt, by fully embracing ‘wintering,’ I gave my body and mind what it needed during that time. It is so important after the hectic festive period full of parties, food, booze, family, tension and expectations, to retreat and recover, preparing yourself for the actual new year…
Spring.
The spring equinox marks the rebirth of nature, the start of longer days and is a time for renewal and growth. The recent sunshine we have had, along with daffodils and snowdrops popping up and seeing the gorgeous lambs springing around the fields, have given me such a burst of energy and motivation.
I am going through a period of transition and change in my business with one big project coming to an end and two new ones about to start and it is an exciting and scary time. The fact it is all happening as we jump into spring means it is the right time for change, and this shift and evolution is needed for me and my business to grow and flourish.
Long live sunshine and longer, brighter days!
