Hello Winter.....
The days are shorter.
The nights are longer.
The weather is colder and usually damper.
Hands up who struggles with this?
Counting down until the days start to get longer.
Or even better, until the clocks go forward.
And it's Spring again.
It's easy for symptoms of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) to set in during these early stages of winter.
Which can make it all seem a bit of a slog!
But, what if, instead of fighting the season, we leaned into it?
What if we embraced the winter for all it's dark and shivering glory?
What if we made small changes to our daily lives that meant winter became more of a joy, than a burden.
What if we adjusted our pace of life to reflect that of nature and of the seasons...... animals are preparing to hibernate, trees have shed their leaves and the days are shorter so that animals can sleep more.
By mirroring these natural cues and making little adjustments to our routines, we might just be able to embrace the restoration that this season nudges us towards.
Here's our tips for slowing down this winter season....
1: Get outside, even in the cold - don't let the cold or rain put you off, getting outdoors is still one of the best cures for generally feeling a bit "bleugh". Wrap up and embrace the colours and smells of nature.
2: Lighten up - get as much natural light as you can, try sitting in a light window, or being outside a little more, like a walk at lunchtime. If natural light is scarce, then try a light therapy lamp.
3: Get cosy - grab the blankets, light the candles and make home a haven for relaxing. Create a space you want to snuggle in and rest.
4: Find pleasure in simplicity - create new routines that are simple like baking, having a hot chocolate in the morning or lighting your favourite candle every night. These little seasonal rituals fill your heart with pleasure and give you something to look forward to.
5: Rest, rest and more rest - yeah, easier said than done, I know..... but embrace the slower season to rest and recouperate. Sleep more, enjoy a lie in at the weekend, say no to things that don't light your heart up. There's lots of science that says we actually do need more sleep in the winter, just like animals. So sleep. And don't feel guilty about it.
So how about embracing the art of slowing down?
Not an easy task in today's million miles an hour world.
But this season can be one to look forward to (apart from the lack of camping at your favourite campsite in West Wales, haha!) rather than resist.
You might just get to Spring feeling refreshed and bouncy!
And ready for camping!!
See you all soon, after a rest,
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