"winter wellness"
no longer subscribing to the myth of the undercover winter glow up
i had extremely high hopes for the goals, planning, and studying i would be taking on this winter. i’m not giving up on them, but instead choosing grace, peace, and pleasure—exactly what this season is made for.
i wanted to study in the early mornings, grind at work, meet new professional goals, workout in the evenings, essentially create a brand new me that could emerge sexy and ready to fly in the springtime… but alas that is not how reality works.
solstice showed me the amount of rest and creative leisure i truly need to cultivate. i must trust and believe in what my body and ancestors are revealing to me. what good can come out of hustling towards a more “well” version of myself?
it’s important to note that i am committed to living with the seasons, not against them. this means that i start my year with the spring solstice, not with the january new year. old habits die hard though and its easy for me to get caught up with the joy others have for new beginnings—especially as a girlie who loves a good mood board, resolutions, goal-setting and journaling sessions.
i allow myself to shape my seasons with that in mind— gifting myself time to visualize and reflect on what i truly must be devoted to in order to live aligned with both my values and goals.
so instead of unveiling an intensive personal curriculum, spending money i don’t have on a fancy gym, and forcing myself to host a million community gatherings that i lack the energy to do, here is what i plan to indulge in for the season.
study:
i will be honoring the excitement i had in building my seasonal curriculum, simply letting myself work through it at a calm and integrate-able pace. i do not need to rush my mornings to get a certain amount of reading time in, but i do plan on picking up my phone less and flipping through my books, zines, and saved articles more.
i also plan on cataloging my personal library! since combining the books that both me and my partner own, we realized we have a lot. PLUS my collection of illustrated children’s books! it will make studying easier for me if i know what we already own—and i can stop justifying buying new books.
one of my biggest goals this year has also been to flesh out something of a “5 year plan”—i’ve struggled with future-thinking for a long time as someone growing up with mental health struggles as well as in this political climate. as difficult as it is though, i’d like to be able to walk into the next year of my life with longer-term goals.
community, camaraderie, cooking:
i want my home to be a welcoming environment to not only myself and my partner but also to my sisters and friends. this means maintaining a certain level of completed house-chores, but also allowing it to be imperfect. my company loves me regardless of if we have recently vacuumed.
we need to eat at home more. i love cooking. i also need to love saving money. it’s so easy for us to default to buying fast food instead of gathering up the energy needed to cook, but we simply must plan for it.
planning more dates! actively dating your partner somehow gets more challenging once you live together and i want to combat that. my love and i are also very susceptible to seasonal depression, so prioritizing quality time outside the house is going to be important
spirituality and self-care:
im going to try out a local yoga studio to keep my body moving and my mind calm. i’m feeling really excited and hopeful about this. my soft goal is three classes per week.
i updated my body, skin, and hair care regiment to support myself through the cold and dry season. also plan on incorporating lots of lymphatic system support through drainage and keeping myself hydrated.
taking notes from xochiquetzal to feel at ease in my creative and sacral practices.
more fruits as snacks instead of artificial/preserved treats.
exploring my whole wardrobe, wearing comfy and warm outfits, and mending/altering to suit my needs.
to view my full winter moodboard—and any image sources—click here.
tlazocamati for reading! what practices will y’all be taking into the winter season? how do you plan to support yourself through the cold and shorter days? is there anything you can be grateful for, such as the clarity that winter can bring?
with love and care,
isabetta
i love this! it's a new calendar year but still very much the middle of winter. i will be making soup and reading books and staying cozy until march at least!!