Do you resist Winter 🥶?

I don't know about you, but I have always hated Winter.

Yes Hate – that is a word I rarely use but it perfectly describes my feelings about this season.

It's cold and wet and dark and the sun doesn't shine so much and my body feels tense as I try to stay warm.  Walking in the chilling wind pierces through my eardrums, leaving my ears aching.  I keep my house and car as warm as the tropics just to pretend I'm not in the middle of winter.

There is nothing about winter that I really enjoy.

Essentially, for nearly half of the year, I find myself resisting something that is a natural part of our existence, something that unfolds without any say on my part and cannot be altered. The only way to change this would be to travel during that time, which is entirely impractical for my life.

And so far, I have been completely oblivious to my resistance and tension to Winter.

WOW that's a huge realisation.

And then I discovered a book called "Wintering, the power of rest and retreat in difficult times" by Katherine May, which has shifted my perspective not only on winter but also on life as a whole.

In my newsletters, I often reflect on the truth of how humans experience life's ebbs and flows. Being human means we're subject to the ebbs and flows of life's rhythms.  It's something that just is.

Coming to terms with this reality and ceasing to resist the natural course of events takes time. 

Progress can sometimes feel like two steps forward and one step back.

Embracing this truth is a profound soul lesson for every individual, and not always an easy one.

Then, Katherine May's book "Wintering" offered a fresh perspective on this truth which really supported me in my journey. It provided invaluable insights that shifted my understanding in a profound way, and I found it incredibly beneficial.

The author Katherine May shares her experience of observing the seasonal changes, likening them to the ebbs and flows of life - from Spring to Summer to Autumn to Winter.

Her words from her book beautifully capture the essence of the winter season and the transformative power it holds. 

She writes:

“The changes that take place in winter are a kind of alchemy, an enchantment performed by ordinary creatures to survive: dormice laying on fat to hibernate; swallows navigating to South Africa; trees blazing out the final weeks of autumn. It is all very well to survive the abundant months of the spring and summer, but in winter, we witness the full glory of nature flourishing in lean times. Plants and animals don't fight the winter; they don't pretend it's not happening and attempt to carry on living the same lives that they lived in the summer. They prepare. They adapt. They perform extraordinary acts of metamorphosis to get them through. Winter is a time of withdrawing from the world, maximising scant resources, carrying out acts of brutal efficiency and vanishing from sight; but that's where the transformation occurs. Winter is not the death of the life cycle, but its crucible. Once we stop wishing it were summer, winter can be a glorious season when the world takes on a sparse beauty, and even the pavements sparkle. It's a time for reflection and recuperation, for slow replenishment, for putting your house in order.”

Reading this slowly and deeply contemplating what she is explaining can be such a revelation!

It's like realising that a chore you once hated and found burdensome suddenly becomes effortless, to the point where you don't even have to think or complain anymore.

How AMAZING!!

However, to get to this point, it is important that we truly SEE and connect with nature and the seasons.

Over the years I am finding myself increasingly drawn to nature.

I just love the feeling nature brings me – the calm, aliveness, presence and connection.

It's difficult to put into words, but it feels incredibly satisfying.

It's not an overwhelming excitement or joy, instead, it's a serene sense of stillness that feels like a coming home.

I've been fortunate to experience awe-inspiring moments of nature on numerous occasions. Whether it was the breathtaking view from the plane as we descended into Queenstown, the bird's eye perspective of the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania, the captivating landscape of the Samburu wilderness in Kenya, or the incredible encounter with the majestic gorillas in Rwanda, each moment left me wishing it would never end.

Nature's beauty has a way of captivating us like nothing else.

I believe many others share this feeling about nature.  Nature has a universal effect on human beings.

If nature makes us feel so good, then why don't we prioritise spending more time in nature?

I think it's because as everything we want to do and know feels good, we are all so busy (Click here to read newsletter about Busy).

I also think it's because we don't truly understand and value the experience enough to make it a priority.

And so, I wanted to share something I've recently seen in nature that has had a real shift how I value spending time connecting with nature.

This year, I've made a personal commitment to treasure and acknowledge the beauty and healing power of nature that surrounds me, promising not to overlook its significance.  I want to STOP and take time to cherish and appreciate everything and not to take it for granted.

I want to observe every aspect of nature, including its flow, shifts, and changes along the way.

I am always captivated by the magnificent tree outside my bedroom window.

We are in autumn now in Australia and I want to truly witness the leaves as they transition from bright green to shades of golden brown, vibrant red and deep orange.  I want to witness as the leaves start to fall from the branches, leaving them bare.  I look forward to seeing the emergence of new shoots, the unfolding of buds and the transformation of tiny, shrivelled leaves growing to vibrant full foliage.

I want to observe the beauty in all the flowers – really looking at them, marvelling at their uniqueness and finding the magic in the experience.

I am committed to appreciating the beauty of every flower, exploring its intricate details and uncovering the magic in each moment.

When you approach things with this wonder and curiosity, you open yourself up to discovering so much more and seeing the world in a new light.

I want to integrate the connection between nature and the ebs and flows of my life so deeply into my being that it becomes effortless, second nature, ingrained in my muscle memory.

This deep connection with nature holds profound significance because it teaches us resilience firsthand. We witness the natural cycles of life: after winter comes spring, after darkness comes light, and what descends eventually ascends. Imagine how transformative it would be if we approached our lives with this inherent understanding. Embracing this wisdom opens the door for magic to unfold in our lives.

Imagine the power if we could weather our personal winters knowing that spring is around the corner?

Imagine if instead of resisting life's challenges, we embraced them, preparing, adapting, reflecting, and recuperating?

What if we sought out the lessons we need to learn and simply allowed ourselves to be with the difficulties, knowing that before long, spring and summer will return?

Life just may feel a little more peaceful. 😍

I invite you to be curious …

• How frequently do you take the time to truly experience nature - to pause and appreciate the fragrance of roses, to observe the beauty of a sunset, to marvel at the magnificence of a flower, or to acknowledge the power of a towering tree?

• Have you ever considered the parallels between the cycles of nature and the cycles of our lives?

• Where do you resist things in life?

• What is your relationship with nature?