Wow, winter came quickly didn't it !?
While jarring at first, changing seasons can be a time for us to take a breath and take inventory of where we are as we move into the winter season. We can look at where we've been the past few months, where we are now, and where we want to go. This can be explored through journaling, meditation, therapy, art, and many other ways.
I've come to understand the season of winter through Katherine May's book, 'Wintering':
"More than any other season, winter requires a kind of metronome that ticks away its darkest beats, giving us a melody to follow into spring. The year will move on either way, but by paying attention to it, feeling its beat and noticing the moments of transition - perhaps even taking time to think about what we want from the next phase in the year - we can get the measure of it. If we resist the instinct to endure those darkest moments alone, we might even make the opportunity to share the burden, and to let a little light in." With the winter season comes both anticipated and dreaded holidays and festive activities which can often cause emotional upheaval, loneliness and sadness. Even a full social calendar over the holidays can prompt frustration dealing with challenging gatherings and events with family and friends, or missing loved ones who are no longer here. Pay attention to how you feel, take time to nurture yourself and regroup. And please remember that picture perfect holidays are primarily what we see on TV and in the movies, rather than in real life which is much more complex. I wish you all a restful December. I know that this can be a difficult time for many different reasons and I urge you to take good care of yourselves and lean into your internal and external resources.
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