As a child I always liked the idea of hibernating. To be honest, I still do! Although I always put this notion down to a favourite story book I had as a child about hibernating woodland animals, I am increasingly thinking there is a natural instinct deep within us to rest and recuperate in the winter, that is knocked out of us by our ‘forever on’ society that we live in today.
The winter landscape is a potent reminder that nature is resting. The most obvious signs are perhaps the deciduous trees standing calmly in the landscape, stripped back from their leaves, their skeletal structure exposed for all to see. The trees are dormant. They are resting up after a busy year in preparation for the next.
I believe we should learn from nature, because after all, we are a part of it. Whilst the rest of nature takes things a little easier in winter, why are we constantly operating at full throttle through the seasons and expecting it to be sustainable? Could taking a little more time to rest up in the winter and plan for the spring and summer bear fruit for us in terms of better energy levels later in the year? Could this also allow us to pace ourselves better year on year?
So what would a winter rest look like? After all, we are still expected to earn a living. I would suggest it is more about trying to slow down a little, not over committing yourself and reprioritising the basics of life - eating nourishing food, getting enough sleep and enough exercise (preferably in nature) - whilst also taking some time for yourself and your nearest and dearest.
Whilst we are one month into the new year already, we still have a few weeks of winter to go before we ease gradually into spring. Why not give it a go and see if it helps to live more in tune with the natural rhythm of the seasons? I hope you have a restful and nourishing winter that will sustain your energy through the year!
'Winter is a season of recovery and preparation.' - Paul Theroux
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