Hello, from Wintering

“Hello from the other siiiiiiiiiide”

No, but really.

Some adjustments have been made - by me and for me - this season and as hard as it is to accept, I know welcoming the slowing down is necessary and in my best interest.

In all of our best interest 🙂

Since coming back from Seattle a few weeks ago, I went straight into work mode at the shop and didn’t really slow down. The irony of refusing to acknowledge my depleted mental, emotional, and physical energy while planning a Wintering workshop is not lost on me.

Sometimes I need a really big push to re-align myself (leaving corporate, leaving freelance, etc.) and true to form, this push came as I left the shop in tears one morning one hour into my shift. I’d pushed myself beyond and it was time to reel it back in.

So, here I am! Writing this in bed, with the Instagram app off of from my phone, recently removed from the shop schedule for the remainder of the year, and essentially free? Funny that freedom doesn’t always feel freeing.

I definitely recognize this as a sign though - a welcome invitation to s l o w d o w n .

…and to luxuriate in the space that I have been given. To ideate, brainstorm, and to think. To daydream. To not cover up this recent acne flare up with concealer and just let my skin breathe, along with my mind and my soul! To explore offerings that feel aligned and fill me with genuine excitement!

This is a re-aligning.

And letting myself slow down to hear my own intuitive wisdom along the way, is my Wintering.

Resources to learn more about Wintering + explore it further:

• Book:

  • “Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times” by Katherine May

• Article:

  • The 7 Different Types of Rest That Every Person Needs by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith MD

  • Wintering by Ness Labs

• Podcast:

  • The Power of ‘Wintering:’ how to use the Winters of our lives to prioritize rest, retreat, and relationships || with Katherine May

• Reflection prompts + exercises:

  Use these in your journal, in reflection, meditation, or as a weekly check-in:

  • Think about where in your life you’d like to be softer with yourself. Where could you offer yourself a little more kindness or patience?

  • Where do you find small joys in the Winter season? A warm drink, cozy blanket, or a bundled-up neighborhood walk? Write about how it makes you feel and describe the experience with all your senses.

  • When life feels challenging, what helps you get through? Write about a practice, a person, or a place that supports you.

  • Imagine creating a “cozy corner”, a place you can experience peace and calm. What does it look like? What things are there? Try to visualize the space and ideate ways you can create it for yourself.

Wishing us all a cozy Wintering that brings us into closer alignment with our authenticity and our intuitive wisdom.

Trust the unknown. Rest without guilt.
And if you’d like a little support along the way, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

xx

Kaitlin