Embracing Winter

Read our latest journal about how to embrace Winter & Christmas and learning how to get over your fears and dread of the Festive Season….

Christmas can be the most exciting and yet equally, the most difficult time of year for a lot of people. As much as I find some of it fun, especially with having younger children, there is always that sense of dread that creeps in after Bonfire night and then the stress of trying to juggle everything when there is always so much going on and so many things to do. 

To add to this, I generally find Winter completely depressing, it doesn’t help that I’m from Zimbabwe and I haven’t ever acclimatised to the cold here, everything is always so dark! It’s dark in the morning, dark too early in the evenings and it feels like life turns grey and that nature is shrinking around me. Leaves are falling, plants are dying and with the light closing in, I feel like I am the one that needs to go into hibernation. If only I could just wake up when spring arrives, and things are starting to grow and smell fresh again. I always look forward so much to the colour coming back to the land and the sounds of nature starting to “sing” and revive again.

‘Frosty Morn’ pictured left by Anita Chillmaid.

A few weeks ago, I was invited to a ‘Winter Wellbeing Retreat’ run by Claire at ‘In Tune Wellbeing’. I went along thinking it would be a nice day out with my friend and colleague Anita and a welcome break from my current hamster wheel of running around with work, kids, activities, Christmas shopping, present wrapping etc.  The day completely changed my thought process and perspective of winter and I have decided to try and adopt a new attitude towards the magical season of winter, thanks to Anita (for the invitation and company) and the wonderful Claire, who guided us through appreciating and looking for the good in the season. 

As a result of the day, I am learning to cherish the cyclical nature of life and I’m starting to look for the joy in the cold (so long as I am wrapped up warm).  We have been lucky to have this beautiful cold snap where everything has been transformed into a winter wonderland.  Though we may not have had much snow in the south, the heavy frost, and freezing temperatures for over a week has meant that the ground has frozen. When I’m out walking, everything sounds so completely different, with that lovely crunching underfoot and a crisp white covering that looks calm and tranquil on the hills, everything seems to smell so clean and fresh. The forest seems calmer and quieter now, and everything seems to have settled for a bit, not like it’s gone away or died, but that nature is just resting. 

I have put out more bird seed today and the steady stream of grateful feathered visitors brings joy and colour to my day whilst I sit at my desk and work. The little tweets and chirps almost sound like a thank you.  I have a lovely winter spice candle burning softly on my desk just in my peripheral vision and these little adjustments along with a new perception, has made me embrace and look forward to each new winter day now rather than waking up not wanting to get out of my warm bed. 

In the mornings I’m dressing warmly in soft cosy clothing which feels lovely and is a great key to a more positive mindset. Then I go for my walk so I can watch the sunrise and the light changing, the beautiful colours of the skies and the shafts of light through the trees is so restful and sets a good tone to the start of the day.

I’m also learning to socialise in a different way and have met up with friends to go foraging on a lovely crisp winter’s day with our children and dogs. We cut some bracken, fir, pine, and heather, then met up one evening later in the week and all made Christmas wreaths for our doors from everything we had collected. We had such a great time, and it was such a wonderful evening of laughter, crafting, chatting, and coming together to make something beautiful, sustainable and with happy memories attached.

So, with my new embraced positive Winter mindset, I’d like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, wherever you are  around the world, I hope that you can find some joy in the world of nature outside, as well as inside your house at this time of year and throughout the coming seasons and year ahead.

For further info on any of Claire’s wonderful workshops, please head to www.intunewellbeing.co.uk