Shifting with the Seasons

My Sunday Musings on nature and shifting with the seasons.

This week marked the first truly cold day in NYC, a flurry of light, wispy snowflakes sprinkled joyfully around me as I went for a brisk morning jog. It reminded me that we, as humans in today’s world, need to shift with the season, just as nature does.

While we are creatures of comfort and thrive in routine (for the most part), our routines should shift with the seasons. Just like the animals, the trees, our gardens, and even the sunlight, all move and change. Yet somehow, we humans tend to keep the exact same schedule all year round.

A collection of winter musings. Louie, my golden retriever, root vegetables, hearty meals, a glass of wine being enjoyed and candlelight.

As the days grow darker, we’re called to bring more light into our world. As I sit to write this, candles flicker around me, their soft glow grounding me as I gather my thoughts to share with you, hoping they resonate, even just a little.

Our nervous systems are constantly stimulated  and often, it’s the smallest shifts that make the biggest difference. Next time you take a shower or bath, try dimming the lights. If that’s not possible, light a few candles or use a lamp instead. Let your body be enveloped by the steam, the warmth, the moody lighting and linger for a few more breaths than usual. Just be.

Savor your morning coffee. People watch instead of scrolling your phone or rushing out the door. You can usually find me at my favorite café, sipping a cortado and watching the world move around me. Some days that means getting up earlier to make space for it, or trimming ten minutes off my workout because that moment of calm matters.

A beautiful cortado from one of my favorite cafes in Brooklyn, NY.

In summer, it’s sitting outside, watching dogs stroll by on the city sidewalk. In winter, it shifts indoors: the smell of baked goods rising from the oven, the warmth of the bakery, the quiet exhale as people unwrap their scarves and let their shoulders drop.

I love to be busy, it keeps me energized but come January, I intentionally slow down. Sometimes it’s good to push ourselves; other times, it’s more nourishing to listen to our bodies, say no, and set boundaries.

My board games make their way out of the closet where they’ve rested all summer and I rediscover my winter wardrobe, scarves, hats, cozy gloves and my little snowman pin waiting to make an appearance. Evenings shift too, I find myself turning in earlier, cooking hearty meals, beef stew, chicken pot pie, bone broth and pouring a glass of deep red wine, or sipping a warming tea with a splash of milk.

My diet naturally changes with the season. The last harvest is behind us here in New England and root vegetables take center plate, carrots, potatoes, squashes, all calling us to get creative and let them shine.

The snow has a way of silencing everything around us as well.  It blankets us in stillness, giving us permission to rest, much like the rain, which somehow makes us feel allowed to stay in, or maybe that's just me. Sometimes I think I just need a good snowfall or rainstorm to remind myself it’s okay to slow down.

Keep your routine, but let it shift with the season. Go to bed an hour earlier. Cook the hearty meal. Wrap yourself in your coziest blanket. Light your favorite candle and let its soft glow remind you, this is the season for slowing down, for rest and for renewal.

Be well,

Catherine xo

Image captured from a beautiful sound bath using candle, light, gongs and community.