Why The Winter Is Your Friend, and S.A.D. Is Actually Good
Winter is notorious for being a time where the lack of color and cold temperatures affect us, usually bringing us down with it. A bleakness in the air gives birth to Seasonal Affective Disorder. People feel sad. We don't live in a society that handles SAD very well. I already hear the common phrases of distaste happening around me:
"I hate this weather"
"I can't wait until it's spring again."
"I feel so sluggish and unmotivated."
Have compassion and pay attention to what your body is choosing to emotionally surface. What if we stopped viewing these heavy emotions as a bad thing? We've carried a lot of weight and have completed a lot this past year! Since we don't go out as much, we have the opportunity to go inward and get to know ourselves better. Bears spend up to 7 months of the year hibernating and resting. I guarantee that you have had a crazy year- why is it so uncomfortable for us to give ourselves 3 months to do the same? By taking the time to nourish ourselves we are able to return healthy and strong in the spring. Letting go and feeling what each season surfaces for us can be incredibly healing.
Winter is the season of visualizing and planning. It is a great time to amplify your skills and gain knowledge. Dive into a hobby that brings you joy. Replace your time watching TV with an insightful video series or educational webinar. Pick up a book about something that inspires you.
Write, paint, play music, and deepen your meditations. Take this free time to focus on you. Give yourself time to relax and tune into your own inner guidance. Ask yourself the questions that have been buried in busyness. What stimulates you towards personal victory? What really gets you excited? What depresses you? What takes you away from feeling powerful? What is your ideal day? Your ideal environment? Support system? What does it feel like?
“One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light but by making the darkness conscious.”
Winter Energy Hacks
- Make snow angels
- Layer up and go for a nice walk
- Spend time by the fire
- Drape your space with velvets, wools, and warm cottons
- Decorate yourself with your favorite hats, hoods, and scarves
- Take a hot mineral bath to detox and circulate body
- Drink warm teas and tonics
- Light a candle and enjoy the silence
- Clear clutter and let go of neglected items
- Diffuse the invigorating aromas of pine, juniper, cinnamon, and clove
- Meditate with frankincense, myrrh, and angelica root
- Set intention and prepare the soil for the seeds you'd like to plant in the spring
Share your warmth with everyone around you