“Winter is a season of recovery and preparation.” Paul Theroux
For the past few years, I have intentionally slowed down around the start of winter. I live in Florida, so “winter” is partly memories from living in the North and glimpses of cooler mornings in the Sunshine State. Not real winter.
The truth is, I need to force myself to slow down, and I’ve noticed what a difference this practice makes in my relationships, work, volunteering, and faith. As I courageously wait for Christmas, I reset so I can be more courageous in my living.
I do not wait for the start of the year, as in a resolution, I start in the bleak midwinter. As a journal writer, I start with my yearly review. This year, I found an excellent small shop online, Koko and Lynn. They make this beautiful “Yearly Review” to do this task. Gratitude, highlights, skills I’ve learned, important people, etc… (https://www.koko-lynn.com/ is the site, and I love everything about this store).
I read or listen to books to inspire me to reflect and reset aspects of daily life. And I even added a book on “microadventures” to inspire you to get out of your space and explore, so you can reset regularly. Do you have a book that I could add to this list? Share in the comments.
“Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times” by Katherine May
“How to Winter: Harness Your Mindset to Thrive on Cold, Dark or Difficult Days” by Kari Leibowitz, PhD
“Reset Your Home: Unpack your Emotions and your Clutter, Step by Step” by Lesley Spellman with Ingrid Jansen
“Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How it can Transform your Life” by Dacher Keltner
“Move. Think. Rest” by Natalie Nixon, PhD
“Microadentures: Local Discoveries, Great Escapes” by Alaistair Humphreys
As you know, I always share the best way to buy books from independent bookstores, so support your local bookstore as you do your wintering reset. https://bookshop.org
If we want to live more courageously, we need to reset from time to time to be better parents, friends, family members, co-workers, volunteers, and humans. Hoping this inspires you to “winter” better this year.
Shared by Marcie Doll
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