It’s the truth. I’m dreading winter, with every fiber of my being. Remember that day it snowed in early October? I started panicking. I mean, we all know that those early snowfalls never stick, but I was truly terrified.
For one, I am in the thick of toddlerhood with two toddlers, ages 18 months and nearly 3 years old. I’m just barely recovering from (what felt like) a very long stage of life where I completely gave up going out in public with both of them except where I could contain them to a shopping cart.
I’m not exaggerating.
Secondly, I am a part of the population that tends to be affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). I think we can all feel this way, but my usual response is an extremely strong desire to literally hibernate. I think that I am particularly concerned about it this winter because I spent sooo long working on healing my mental health and pursuing wellness. I feel like I just started getting roots settled and the winter storm is coming to surely bring me to my downfall. Again.
BUT I am working hard on embracing the seasons in life, especially those that can be unpleasant. Regardless of our opinions, unpleasant seasons have a purpose.
That purpose is almost always to bring new growth.
I’m trying to recognize my responsibility in these seasons. I could be passive and just let it suck. Or I could look for ways I could make it suck less. Some of the ways I’ve decided to do this is to make it a point to take my kids outside as much as possible and to open up my home to others, while also embracing the fact that winter can be a time of slowing down and rest without that being a bad thing.
I am prioritizing my mental health before winter really hits hard so that I’m well prepared. I don’t have to be at the mercy of SAD. I’m doing this by keeping up routines, such as exercise and self care, pursuing activities that bring me joy, and building a regime of supplements and nourishing foods that meet my body’s needs during this season.
Holidays can also be hard, mostly because they don’t quite meet my expectations. This year, I’m trying to remember that we really haven’t had much time to practice holidays as a family. This is only my 4th holiday season with my husband, our 3rd with our first child, and our second with both children. We are still figuring out our own traditions, which family’s house we go to for what holidays, if we are happy to host or not, what we want to do about Christmas presents as the kids grow, etc. It is also the first winter I’m not pregnant or within one year postpartum in our entire marriage!
All of this reminds me to give myself and our little family grace as we figure it out.
Overall, winter, and any unpleasant season, is an opportunity to refocus and embrace what really matters to us. This is what brings new growth in spring.
