Winter Wellness ❄️🧣☕️ ~ 9 Ways I’m Supporting My Mind, Body + Spirit This Season
I never in a million years thought I would be saying this… but….I think I am a winter person. And trust me, as someone who gets frostbite easily and has to battle off my fair share of mood dips, I don’t make that statement lightly.
Once I learned more deeply about the qualities and values of each season, the more I started to respect Winter and all that it has to offer for my well-being.
Since we live in a society where space for periods of rest and even times of solitude are not created for us, nor are they always valued, I believe we must relentlessly pursue periods of rest and reflection in our own lives to combat burnout and truly thrive.
Winter (whether you live in a very cold weather area or not) is a time where this pursuit of reflection keeps our bodies, minds and hearts in harmony.
As Chat GPT eloquently states, “Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) asks us to embrace winter as a season for rest, storage, and inward focus, aligning with nature's cycle by slowing down, staying warm, nourishing the Kidneys (the body's essence), and conserving energy for the vitality of spring, emphasizing stillness, warm foods, and quiet activity over excessive exertion.”
In my own life, slowing down and honoring my well-being in this way during Winter seasons I have been able to -
a) Cultivate daily wellness habits year-round that are more grounded and sustainable
b) Uncover what feels true to me in order to tailor my ambition towards the things that truly light me up
Here are 9 practical and simple things I am committed to doing this season to care for my mind, body and Spirit so that I can restore, find balance and emerge in Spring with clarity & a full tank + heart.
1 - Wear socks & slippers on my feet always! This helps to strengthen digestion, improve mood and circulation, calm the nervous system and more. And it just feels so good. I admit I even wear socks to bed, but that is simply because I tend to run cold! My favorite slippers right now are these!!
2 - Sip on warm drinks whenever possible. I will often brew herbal tea in the afternoon. I also try to start my days with warm lemon water. This small action helps to prime the nervous system and it is a way to hydrate more effectively! I use the same cup for my hot lemon water as I do my coffee. I tell myself I can’t pour in my coffee until the hot water is gone!
3- Make slow cooked foods, soups and stews. So nourishing for my bones, great for my digestion and I notice my body simply craves these types of foods! Warming the body from within is key and this helps to support immunity and create long lasting energy.
4- Connect with morning light! Part of my morning routine with my baby is after his morning bottle we bundle up and head outside. No, I don’t always want to. Yes, I am ALWAYS grateful that I did. This does wonders for the circadian rhythm! Even if you are cooped up inside or are busy heading out the door for a commute, try to at least take a pause and take a few breaths outside. This can really help to ease seasonal depression and boost serotonin.
5 - More rest, more reflection. I try to carve out time to have nothing to do and schedule weekend times where nothing is planned. If I can, I will go to bed 1/2 hour early and bring my journal. It feels so good to jot some of the things that are weighing heavily on my heart… or even news dreams or ideas that are bubbling to the surface. Remember, stillness is not unproductive - it is essential. I often unplug from social media for a few weeks at some point too. This really helps clear static in my energy field.
6- Embrace a calming nighttime routine. Yes, I try to be off my phone. It’s NOT easy. Sometimes I have to allow myself to indulge but have to give myself a strict time cap or jump to another app like Pinterest that is a little less stimulating for me before I completely put my phone away. I try to gather books, my kindle, magazines and all the things and put them right on my nightstand for easy access. I now use these amber lightbulbs for my bedside lamp and they are just so much more soothing than regular bulbs and help support natural sleep cycles.
7 - Create just for the sake of creating! Not for Instagram, but for me or my family. I bake treats and I plan to get out last year’s needlepoint that I didn’t finish. I hope to get out some magazines to make a vision board, or even do this on canvas with Pinterest screenshots! I’m always amazed at what comes through. Remember — you are a creative being and oftentimes when the world gets quieter, new ideas emerge.
8 - Cultivate little bits of intentional comfort in my home. I light a candle before dinner and make a cute plate of cheese and crackers. Sometimes I turn on our gas fireplace and I always get really excited when I go somewhere and there is a real fire burning!! I make hot cocoa using chocolate protein powder during the day and cozy up with a good book. Right now I am reading this one!
9 - Treat my body with love and extra care. I take warm epsom salt baths, impromptu rests when my baby is napping, gentle yoga, oil massage after a shower.
And finally, I remind myself that I have done enough and I am enough. Now is not the time to hustle. It’s time to restore…and we’ll see what happens next. 💗
How are you taking care of yourself this winter? Let me know!! 🤗
With warmth,
Caroline
