Are you like me and often feel tired now? Our body is adjusting and getting ready for the darkest season of the year – the winter.

Winter is a time for pause, a time to recall the past, go inwards, slow down, recharge our batteries and let go. More than usual we crave pleasure in hearty foods, a cup of hot chocolate, tea or mulled wine. We indulge in scented candles, a great book, hot bath or going to the sauna – our body, mind and spirit want to be pampered more now. Often we stay at home in the evening instead of meeting up with friends. And if we do go out, we notice our own sluggishness. We are not as flexible and mobile as usual, as if the lack of day light sucks our energy. It feels like an energetic contraction of our world.

Yet everything on the outside carries on as normal. Our society got rid of the actual purpose of winter and even made it the busiest season of all, with its preparation for the ever more commercialised Christmas time – no time for a break, not to mention winter sleep! This is often mirrored in our own impatience with ourselves. We don’t understand our body – what’s the matter all of a sudden? Our inner slave driver keeps on pushing; there is so much still to do!

But winter is approaching – that is what’s happening! Our body is shutting down… not nearly as much as the bodies of certain animals or plants, but it is distinctively shutting down. If you haven’t been aware of any of this, reading about it here is no coincidence! Notice the part of you that wants you to tune in and listen. If we carry on as if nothing was happening, we deny ourselves what we need and go against our nature.

I invite you to do it differently this winter: Listen to your body and notice its signals, take care of yourself and allow yourself to rest wherever possible. We are not machines – and we forget that far too often – we are living beings! We all go through cycles and are embedded in nature’s transitions. Have you noticed the ever changing trees and their colourful leaves on your way to work recently? Are you taking time to look up to the sky to see its curious play with light lately?

I invite you to put your inner slave driver in its place and shift down a gear. Take it easy and discover what’s good and right for YOU at this time! If it’s calling you, now is the perfect opportunity to dive into and integrate one of your shadow aspects. You know, one of the things that you don’t like about yourself. I now know that I often get grumpy when I haven’t met my needs while trying to please someone else. If I then pay attention to what it is I need in that moment, the grump easily and very quickly vanishes. It just goes to show!

If we allow ourselves to acknowledge the changes within us and look after ourselves, day-to-day life becomes much easier again. Our body thanks us for the attention and can finally start recharging its batteries. Besides that, our mind also calms down – you’ll be able to take stock of what no longer fits into your life and wants to be let go of. This is the best time to declutter on all levels, not just at home but in body and mind too 😉

Did you know that just 5 minutes of meditation a day can change your outlook on life dramatically? What would it take for you to commit to 5 minutes a day for 21 days? That’s how long it takes to create a new habit – and this one is mighty and well worth the effort! It will certainly help you keep your cool in these hectic months. And it’s only a decision away… how about it? You might find my meditation in The beWell*, my membership area, helpful (*this feature is not quite ready yet, but will be coming soon, so stay tuned!). The Calm App is a great free tool to get you started, and YouTube has a lot of meditations to choose from too. If you look out for the right meditation for you, it’ll find you.

Trust your intuition and allow yourself to follow it. Grant yourself a longer time-out, or more short breaks here and there, and listen to your body clock. Go to bed a little earlier and go about your day a little bit slower than usual. I love this particular exercise; slowing down makes me feel more alive! Be gentle and patient with yourself and thank your body for constantly giving you these signals. Will you listen this time? If YOU don’t take care of yourself, who else will? If not now, when? To top it all off, once you commit to lovingly look after yourself, you give others around you permission to do exactly the same. A win-win!

P.S. If you love reading in a quiet corner, have a browse through the list of my favourite books! You’ll find it in the Treasure Chest – Nourishment for the bookworm.