Wintering: Returning to the Rhythm Beneath the Noise

Two years ago, I participated in a beautiful program called Wintering, where I was introduced to the idea of Winter as a verb. 

Winter as something we do.

Winter as a rhythm.

Winter as a choice.

Not just a season outside our windows, but a rhythm inside our bodies. A way of being. A remembering.

It changed the way I saw this season completely, typically with dread and discomfort. Winter stopped feeling like a long, chilly intermission between the “real” parts of the year and started to look more like a built-in reset — a time meant for regrouping, clearing out, and catching my breath.

“Wintering is nature’s way of regenerating before spring… The focus shifts inwards & downwards. Seeds gestate in the cold darkness and prepare for rebirth. Wintering is not about doing nothing, but about regeneration and renewal.”—Jennifer McConachie

Winter Trees Mirroring the Season for Us- Quiet, Simple, Grounded

We know this intuitively, don’t we? The days darken. The temperatures drop. The body asks for blankets and slow mornings and early nights. Something in us wants to retreat, to breathe, to soften.

And yet… how ironic that this season—designed for rest and deep nourishment—often begins with frantic schedules, consumerism, pressures, obligations, and the emotional acrobatics of the holiday season.

There’s something about winter that invites a different kind of honesty — the kind that surfaces when the world finally quiets down enough for us to hear ourselves think. Nature pulls back, the light softens, and everything in us starts whispering the same message:

Rest now. So you can rise later.

But while we’re naturally being pulled inward, December tends to pull us in the opposite direction.

The busy calendars.The errands. The holiday pressure. The expectation to be cheerful even when we’re stretched thin.

If you’re someone who gives, manages, coordinates, or takes care of everyone else first… winter can feel less like a season and more like an obstacle course.

Maybe as you read this, you feel a little spark of recognition, like:

“Yep. That’s me.”

Maybe you’re someone who wants to rest but immediately feels guilty for even thinking about it. You know you’re tired, but you keep telling yourself, “It’s just a busy season.” Except the busy never ends.

Maybe you’re in a life transition — a change, a loss, a decision point — and everything feels a little wobbly. You want clarity, but what you really need is space to let clarity form.

Maybe you crave quiet mornings, slower evenings, less pressure… but your days are packed with commitments, errands, and the never-ending list of things you’re responsible for.

Or maybe you’ve been feeling the itch for something new — a creative nudge, a desire for more meaning, that sense that you want something different but you’re not sure what. The problem isn’t that you’re uninspired; it’s that you haven’t had any room to think.

If any of this sounds like you, winter might be offering you a softer way forward — not by doing more, but by gently doing less.

How to Choose Peace Over Performance This Season

Here are simple, doable shifts you can start immediately — no lifestyle overhaul required:

1. Say No Without Guilt

Protect your time like it actually matters — because it does.You don’t owe anyone a long explanation. “I can’t make it this time” is complete.

2. Honor Your Energy, Not Expectations

If your body feels tired, let that matter. If something feels draining, rethink it. Your energy is data — treat it like information, not a weakness.

3. Look for Tiny, Real-Life Joys

It doesn’t have to be a whole day off. Think:

• a warm drink before the house wakes up

• two minutes of sunlight on your face

• five quiet breaths before your next task

Joy hides in small pockets, not big productions.

4. Let Rest Count as Productivity

Because it is. Rest restores problem-solving, patience, creativity, and resilience. You’re not a machine — you’re a person. And winter naturally pulls us toward recovery.

If any part of this feels like a relief… follow that feeling. If your body is asking you to slow down… listen. If you want clarity… create the space for it to emerge. If you’re craving something gentler… give yourself permission.

Let this winter be the moment you choose yourself — not someday, not when everything settles down, not when life magically gets easier.

An Invitation

If this resonates — if your body exhaled reading this — then I’d love to support you in weaving Wintering into your own life in an intentional way.

Here are a few beautiful next steps:

🌙 Join our Sunday Women’s Circles. A soft landing place for connection, reflection, and grounding during a season that can feel anything but spacious.

🔥 Come to the Fire Ceremony next Sunday. Let go of what no longer serves you — literally and symbolically — and call in the energy you want to carry into the new year. Bring a friend, you won't want to miss it!

✨ Or step into 1:1 coaching with me. If you’re craving deep support, personalized rhythms, and a season that actually feels like it nourishes you… this is where we can create something truly transformative together. In celebration of the season, I am GIFTING two more free 75-min. Clarity Calls for you two explore this and more!

With so much warmth,