Y’all…I’m just really not into new year’s resolutions.
It literally *just* became winter. It’s the time for grounding down and slowing down. It’s the time to be getting into hibernation mode. I’m not saying you shouldn’t be active – you definitely should! Just maybe not in a ‘kick your ass into high gear’ way. I’m also not out here trying to deter you from choosing some healthy food options, but restricting yourself and only eating raw foods during the time of year we need to build up some insulation from the cold is a recipe for disaster (get it? recipe?).
In all seriousness, the last thing I want to do on January 1st is make a drastic change to how I’m living my life. Over the years, I would try and try again and end up frustrated with myself for not being able to stick to it. Now that I know what I know, it makes so much sense.
I wasn’t successful and I felt a big resistance to it because it just isn’t the right time of year for it.
If we remember the big principle of Ayurveda – we are nature – then we can look around at what is happening in our environment and determine what we should be doing internally.
This is a time of year when nature slows down, trees have already shed their leaves and they are focusing their energy inward. Squirrels have gathered their nuts and they are spending their time reaping the benefit of their work in the late summer/early fall. The birds are fluffed up and putting on weight to keep themselves warm. Bears are literally sleeping all day every day.
Now, I’m not saying we need to sleep all day everyday (though I do think we might need a little more sleep this time of year), but I am saying maybe we should try to slow down and do a little less this time of year and instead harness the gift of quiet introspection this season offers us.
Have you ever gone for a walk after a fresh snow and noticed how silent it is? There’s nothing quite like it. This is the energy that winter calls in for us.
A time for us to get quiet, get introspective, get to know ourselves more deeply–our patterns in thought, movement, behavior, eating, working, etc. and gather the knowledge and awareness around what’s working and what isn’t working. It is a time for building our root systems, connecting deeply with our rhythms, practicing self-care, nourishing ourselves deeply. Then, with the knowledge we’ve gathered and the cup we’ve filled, we can make a plan for what we want to shift, how we might shift it, and start making those BIG changes come Spring, with a well-rooted, well nourished system. Mother Nature starts to defrost and bloom from all of the rest and inner work she did over the Winter, so can we. We’ll spring into action… in Spring, obviously.
If you’re ready to ease into the New Year and be a bit gentler with yourself this winter, I’d love to invite you to join me for my upcoming Softer Start event. It’s a full 3-weeks dedicated to self-inquiry and building a gentle root system, so that when Spring comes, you’re ready to make shifts that feel sustainable.
0 Comments