A PEP TALK IF WINTERS GOT YOU DOWN ❄️🤍

Feb 7

In today’s post we’ll chat thru…

① What the SEASONS can teach us about our JOURNEYS
② A PEP TALK about WINTER SEASONS
③ Ways to EMBRACE THE WINTER both in your journey + in nature

LET’S DIVE IN. 🖤

Well friends…we’re here. First episode of February and if you live in the Northern Hemisphere...we’re in the thick of the winter season. You know what I’m talking about…the time when you’re just about sick of the cold temps, lack of sunlight, and hibernating tendencies. By nature I’m the kind of woman who LIVES for summer temps. I grew up in Michigan and I was born in the winter, but ya’ll…I LOVE the summer. I love sunshine and fresh air and outdoors and BBQs and being by the water and sweat…windows down…s’mores…cannon balls…pina coladas…just all the things that come with warm weather.

Is anyone else having a moment of silence for summer with me? 😜

But seriously. This is about the time of year when we’ve been cold enough for long enough. The nostalgia of the holidays wears off. The decorations are put away. And we’re kinda just left with winter. And so today I wanna talk about this season…even if you’re not listening to this in YOUR winter…I know what I’m sharing will resonate with you. I want to navigate thru some common sticking points together so we can embrace the season we’re in without wishing it away and longing for the next. Because here’s the deal…towards the end of summer we always see the masses start to wish for fall…for cooler temps…for change. Friends. This is the HUMAN EXPERIENCE…it’s hard for us to stay in places that are uncomfortable. We long for new. For change. For different. I feel like that’s what HOPE is all about, right? But I hope today I can give you a little something that will help carry you thru the winter with a deeper appreciation for the JOURNEY. Whether it’s the actual season of winter or just a season of your life that feels a little dormant.

Let’s dive in. 🖤

FIRST OFF…LETS TALK SEASONS.

A lot of times I speak in terms of “seasons” on this podcast and I’m not always referring to the actual scientific seasons of the year. I often use the four seasons— spring, summer, fall (autumn), and winter — as a metaphor to relate to the human experience and our growth journey bc nature does a beautiful job of SHOWING US the rhythm and patterns that happen when something is planted, sprouting, in full bloom, and then when we harvest it to prepare for new seeds. Season by season there is SO much we can learn from nature about the rhythms and pace to life. Let me break it down season by season:

① SPRING - NEW BEGINNINGS + GROWTH

When I talk about spring in regards to our journey, it represents the start of something sprouting like an idea coming to life, just like what you’d see in nature. It's a time of renewal, fresh starts, and new beginnings. It's a time of learning, exploration, and laying the foundation for future growth. We often feel this when spring time enters on the calendar. It’s when we might take on new projects or feel inspired to do a reset.

② SUMMER - FULL BLOOM + ABUNDANCE + HIGH ENERGY.

Summer is associated with warmth, abundance, and the full bloom of nature. In our journey, this might be when we experience peak energy, achieve goals, and enjoy the fruits of our labor. Days are longer in the summer so naturally there’s more energy. More light. More time + space. This makes a difference in how we energetically show up.

③ FALL - HARVEST + REFLECTION

Fall is characterized by the harvest season which is a time when nature prepares for a period of rest. It's also a time of reflection and slowing down. In life, fall can be a time to reap the rewards of earlier efforts, reflect on experiences, and prepare for the next phase.

④ WINTER - REST, DORMANCY, + TRANSFORMATION

Winter is the season of rest, dormancy, and transformation. It’s where we go INWARD. Nature undergoes a period of silence where it looks like nothing is happening on the surface, but below all that there is renewal happening. In our Dallas home we bought Hydrangeas the first summer we moved into the house. And I’ll never forget that by winter they were nothing but STICKS. Like dead twigs coming out of the ground. My husband Charles and I thought for sure we had killed them…and honestly it wouldn’t have been shocking bc I’m not esp amazing at taking care of plants…but what’s wild is UNDER THE SURFACE there was renewal happening. There was a transformation taking place with each passing day and sure enough…come spring we saw the plant come back to life. Winter can be deceiving like that. And it’s often the season we wish away bc it’s uncomfortable to stare at things that look dead. But winter is essential friends. It’s a time for rest, reflection, and personal transformation. We need winter in order to have the blooming + abundance + reaping of the rewards that all the other seasons bring.

When I can see my own life + journey through the lens and metaphor of the seasons, it helps us me appreciate the cyclical nature of personal growth. I can then SEE the value and importance of each phase of the overall journey. Just as nature goes through cycles, so do our lives, and each season teaches me unique ways to show up and nurture where I’m at without wishing it away.

SO LET’S TALK ABOUT WINTER…

Like I said earlier…we tend to want to wish away the physical season of winter AND if we’re being honest, we probably tend to wish away the winter-y seasons of our journeys as well. But I heard this IG REEL the other day that a friend sent me and it was the EXACT THING I needed to hear. Let me try to share the gist of it…

The woman on the reel was talking about a friend of hers who called her and said that he was feeling really down and sad. And she asked him “Are you rested?” He replied “Not really…I got up at 5am to workout, etc etc etc.” And the next thing she asked him blew my freaking mind. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. She asked him…

“ARE YOU TRYING TO ACT LIKE SUMMER WHEN IT’S WINTER?”

Insert me immediately feeling like she has cameras on me.

We do this friends, right? We trick ourselves into thinking that it needs to be “summer energy” all the time. It’s Q1 and a NEW YEAR and YOU HAVE GOALS and you just. can’t. slow. down. That was me for a long time. And TBH one scroll thru social media can take me right back into that rat race + hustle culture headspace all over again. Summer-ing in the winter.

And I bring this up today bc I’m wondering if the disconnect in how you feel about your journey is coming from the disconnect you have about the season you’re ACTUALLY in. Let me say that again…

IS THE DISCONNECT IN HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY COMING FROM A DISCONNECT YOU HAVE ABOUT THE SEASON YOU’RE ACTUALLY IN?

Gosh I’ve gotten this wrong so many times. I’ve wanted the goal to be here already but I’m not allowing the time for it to rest and restore. But remember my story about the hydrangeas? Can you imagine if I saw the twig like sticks in February and decided…you know what…this isn’t working…this must be dead…and then I ripped them out? I never would’ve seen how much better, stronger, and bigger they came back. We do this all the time with our dreams + goals friends. We don’t give them time under the surface. We want things fast and so we uproot something that looks dead. But what if it was just dormant? What if it was building strength for what’s to come?

We have to be HONEST about where we are in our journeys and where nature has us, too. We’re in WINTER ya’ll. And even if you’re listening to this in a warm location or in a time of year when it’s the exact opposite temp wise, I know your SOUL is going to have winter moments. Moments when you need to rest. Go inward. Transform below the surface and out of the limelight. Times when you need to ACT like winter and allow yourself to make that okay. And I get this. Easier said than done, right? But nature teaches us time and time again that there are rhythms and patterns to this process. What if we leaned INTO those instead of fighting against them?

EMBRACING THE WINTER SEASONS (in life + in nature)

In order to work WITH the natural cycles + phases of our journeys and nature, we need to embrace the season we’re in. So I want to leave you with a few things that help me embrace the winter season in both MY JOURNEY and in NATURE.

reset your am + pm routines to add in more rest and earlier bedtimes
spend time journaling - this is a great time to journal thru what has been working in your journey and maybe what needs to shift
digitally detox so you can disconnect from the noise and reconnect with yourself
go inward + set meaningful goals…maybe make a vision board + begin penciling in how you’ll show up for these goals throughout the year
bundle up + get outside for winter walks - enjoy the calm + stillness winter brings
do a deep clean of your home + spaces
cultivate cozy rituals like candle lit yin yoga, hearty soups + crock pot meals, warm blankets and fires, or book baths
slow your spending + track your money habits - make a plan for the year when it comes to spending, saving, and stewarding

Ya’ll anything that translates to REST, GOING INWARD, and SITTING IN THE UNCOMFY SPACES OF TRANSFORMATION…lean into THOSE THINGS whenever you’re in the winter seasons. I’m learning that the more and more I fight to energetically BE in winter, the more I delay my process and ultimately my progress. So. Less forcing, more being in the FLOW of the season. Deal?

So IDK who this was for today, but I really had it on my heart to share this idea with this community. You have PERMISSION to go inward, slow down, and energetically feel like WINTER. Especially WHEN IT IS WINTER. 😜 Don’t force. Don’t fight. Embrace where you’re at. Find the flow. And don’t worry. Spring is coming. So is summer. They always do. Enjoy this moment so you can be rested and ready when they arrive, deal? It doesn’t make you lazy…it actually makes you a smart steward of your journey, your progress, and your growth. If you’re loving this message today be sure to tap on the subscribe button, share this episode with your friends + followers, and let me know on social what you vibed with most today. I LOVE seeing what stands out to you each week and I love growing TOGETHER. Until next week…cheers to embracing WINTER. 🖤🤟🏼

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