Ah, the New Year. A time when we collectively decide we’ll wake up early, drink more water, and become the kind of person who owns matching socks. And then, by mid-January, we’re back to pressing snooze and hoping no one notices the coffee stain on our sweatshirt during Zoom calls.
But maybe this year doesn’t have to be about big, sweeping changes. Maybe it’s about acknowledging that life, like winter, has its own rhythms. As Katherine May writes in Wintering, “When you stop expecting it to be something else, winter can be a glorious season in which the world takes on a sparse beauty.”
So instead of forcing yourself into resolutions that feel like cold plunges (invigorating, sure, but also a little jarring), why not approach this year with gentle curiosity?
Questions to Warm Up Your Reflections:
- What’s one thing I’ve learned about myself in the past year that I want to carry forward?
- If my life were a winter landscape, what would it look like? (Snowy and serene? A little messy with footprints everywhere? Both are valid!)
- What would it feel like to let myself be unfinished?
- Where can I find small pockets of joy, even in the coldest moments?
The thing about winter—and the New Year—is that they invite us to slow down. To take stock. To recognize that growth doesn’t always look like blooming; sometimes, it’s resting, recalibrating, or simply surviving.
As Katherine May reminds us, “Wintering brings about some of the most profound and insightful moments of our human experience, and wisdom resides in those who have wintered.”
So here’s my not-so-revolutionary proposal for this year: Let’s be kind to ourselves. Let’s lean into the season we’re in—whether that’s thriving, pausing, or somewhere beautifully in-between.
Here’s to a year of quiet growth, cozy moments, and the occasional unmatched sock.
