We enter an inner season of winter many times in our life, including but not limited to the menstrual phase of our monthly cycle, actual winter if you live in the north, pregnancy or postpartum, or after a really intense period of big change or expansion in your life or work.
Our society tells us we have to be constantly “on” and productive, so it’s hard for us to listen to our bodies but we’re part of nature and our bodies are cyclical. We have to go through winter in order to bloom again.
**make sure to be in touch with your medical provider to rule out any mood disorders, vitamin deficiencies etc.
But if you’re doing all the self care, mental health support, and taking all the supplements and you still feel like you’re not your typical go-getter achieving self, maybe your body and soul just need a break!
Signs you might be in a winter phase
You lack clarity and motivation
You feel disconnected from your purpose and it’s challenging to give a shit about things that you know are important to you
You’re extra tired and have low stamina when you do have energy
It’s hard to focus
You’re feeling a strong pull to retreat, hibernate, and surrender any expectations and pressure you’ve been putting on yourself
Take a break from the goal chasing and give yourself permission to simply be.
“In the Reflective phase we can be so lacking in motivation and enthusiasm that we become disconnected from our own wants and needs...Nothing seems important, even our own goals and ambitions...The ‘whatever’ attitude makes it an optimum time to prioritize our lives, as nothing really has much priority. If something is really important it will be worth the effort...so we realize very quickly what is a ‘must’ action and what is a ‘should...this can actually become a resourceful tool for self-development and goal achievement...Suddenly this phase forces us to release the drive, but more importantly it forces us to drop our fear and anxieties...and simply accept the here and now.”
-Miranda Gray, The Optimized Woman
Winter is the best time to:
Rest!
Indulge in being as deliciously lazy and unproductive as possible
Reconnect with yourself
Identify any unnecessary “should’s” or pressure you’ve been placing on yourself, and let them go
Surrender, and surrender some more. Go inward!
Connect to your intuition and receive guidance from Divine Energy/Source/Universe/God
Journal
Meditate
Take a break from your workouts
Reflect, reconnect to your goals and intentions, access deep insights and intuitive hits.
Evaluate biz progress and make course corrections.
Nurture yourself
Order takeout or have your partner cook
Let go of as many responsibilities as possible for at least 2-3 days
Unplug from social media and go offline
Practice RECEIVING (over doing)
In nature, we always know that winter will end eventually.
Even if it takes forever if you live in the upper Midwest like me.
We trust that spring will come.
We make plans. We book trips. We update our wardrobes.
What if we could extend that same level of trust and assurance to ourselves, when we’re feeling bogged down in an inner winter?
If you have a regular menstrual cycle, you can practice leaning back into the low energy states and let yourself experience that regular boost of energy to remind yourself every single month that your body is on a regular pattern just like the earth.
But maybe your winter season is more Game of Thrones style, and you can’t see the end or how long it will take to make it through.
Spring will come again for you too. And the signs will be unmistakeable.
xo Anna
You can read more about how to tell that your inner spring is arriving here.
If you want further resources on embracing your inner cyclic nature, you can find my free ebooks and journal guides here.
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