Wintering: Why Slowing Down in Winter Is Natural, Not Lazy

Wintering: Why Slowing Down in Winter Is Natural, Not Lazy

When the new year arrives there's often a sense of having to spring into action, create new goals or intentions and get moving.
A sense that we should be doing more.
Planning more.
Fixing ourselves.
Starting again.

And when we don’t have the energy for that, it’s easy to turn on ourselves and label it as laziness, lack of motivation, or something we need to push through.

But what if nothing is wrong?

What if your body is simply responding to the season?

You Are Part of Nature, Not Separate From It

Your body is made of the same elements as the earth, the moon, the stars.
And just like nature, you’re not designed to be in full bloom all year round.

In winter, the earth rests.
Trees pull their energy inward.
Seeds lie dormant beneath the soil, gathering strength for what comes next.

There is no urgency in nature during winter.

When you feel quieter, slower, more inward at this time of year, you’re not failing.
You’re remembering a rhythm that modern life has taught us to ignore.

Why Winter Can Feel So Hard

We live in a culture that doesn’t really allow for seasons.
We’re encouraged to keep producing, pushing, setting goals and reinventing ourselves — even when it’s dark, cold, and our nervous systems are asking for rest.

So when winter arrives and our energy drops, there can be an inner conflict:

• The body asking to slow down

• The mind telling us to speed up

That tension alone is exhausting. There can also be a sense of guilt if we do decide to slow down and rest. 

Wintering isn’t about opting out of life.
It’s about meeting yourself where you are, instead of forcing yourself to be somewhere else.

What Wintering Actually Looks Like (In Real Life)

Wintering doesn’t need to be aesthetic, perfect, or consistent.

Some days it might look like:

• Going to bed earlier

• Eating warm, nourishing food

• Cancelling plans without guilt

Other days it might look like:

• Doing the bare minimum

• Feeling frustrated that you can’t slow down

• Wanting rest but still needing to show up for work, family, or life

All of that counts.

Wintering is not a performance.
It’s a practice — and like any practice, it doesn’t go perfectly.

You’re allowed to honour winter without doing it “right.”

Gentle Ways to Honour the Winter Season

Rather than trying to overhaul your life, winter invites small, supportive shifts.

You might choose one or two of these — or none at all.

• Rest when you can, even if it’s just ten minutes of stillness

• Nourish your body with warmth, hydration, and grounding foods

• Lower expectations, especially of yourself

• Reflect instead of forcing clarity — you don’t need all the answers yet

• Create simple rituals, like lighting a candle in the evening and taking a few slow breaths

These aren’t tasks to complete.
They’re invitations.

A Simple Winter Ritual

If it feels supportive, you might like to try this:

Light a candle in the evening.
Sit somewhere comfortable.
Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly.

Take a few slow breaths and quietly ask yourself:

• What feels heavy right now?

• What feels comforting?

• What can I let be enough today?

You don’t need to journal.
You don’t need insights.
You don’t need to fix anything.

Just listening is enough.

Winter Is Not the End — It’s the Beginning Underground

Winter doesn’t ask you to disappear.
It asks you to pause, restore, and conserve energy.

What’s being created right now isn’t always visible.
And that’s okay.

Spring will come — it always does.
But for now, wintering is not something to rush through.

If you’re moving slowly…
If you’re unsure…
If you’re tired…

You’re not behind.
You’re exactly where the season asks you to be.

*The picture of the northern lights was taken by me in Reykjavik, Iceland while on holiday.