How I survive the winter

I don’t know who said it but I read somewhere that “if you choose not to find joy in the snow, you’ll have less joy and the same amount of snow.” I think that’s true for most parts of winter. The cold, the ice, the darkness. Personally, I have always found a lot of joy in the winter. So I may or may not be the perspective you need to survive the winter as I’ve never needed to survive it (the summer on the other hand is trickier for me). However, I do have theories on why the longer nights and colder temperatures don’t bother me much. Since we are less than a month away from the solstice, I thought I would share them with you.

1.) There are warm parts of winter and they are even more special in the cold.

When you look for them you’ll start to notice them everywhere. There are the obvious parts: hot drinks and warm fires. But there are more subtle ones as well: cozy blankets and sweet winter romance movies, when you come in from the cold and take hot showers, taking homemade holiday cookies out of the oven, the sun on your face and that specific warmth that can only be felt certain months of the year. Most importantly, the warmth you get from family, blood or chosen. That warmth is always sweeter in the winter. Challenge yourself to find the more subtle warmth in the coming months and savor it.

2.) You get to spend way more time with the moon.

Yes the sun sets at 4:30 (at least where I am) and yes it can be incredibly challenging to go to work in darkness and come home in darkness as many of us do. Before becoming a full time artist, I worked an 8-5 and didn’t have a car so I was up early taking public transport and in the winter it was often in darkness. But those darkest days only last a little while and before we know it the days stretch longer and longer again.

In the meantime, strengthen your relationship with the moon. There are many living things on earth that have deep relationships with the moon. While data on whether the moon actually affects humans is wildly varying in conclusions, many cultures and religions are also known to have ancient connections and relationships with the moon. If I’m being honest, I don’t know that it matters whether it’s science, self fulfilling prophecy, placebo or magic or any number of other theories. Studies have shown that our thoughts are incredibly powerful. If you believe the moon is positively affecting your health, it might (simply due to your belief in it or telling yourself it does) and I would rather call that magic than a placebo even if I know or believe  it to be the later. It makes life more fun. That is the main secret of surviving winter: creating magical moments from the cold and celebrating them.

I like the idea of developing my own personal rituals and practices under the moonlight. For now, what I do most of the time is sit and admire.

3.) Darkness is where we dream and rest.

Lyanda Lynn Haupt said “Darkness brings the restorative sleep and dreaming our bodies and psyches require. Darkness takes the harried busyness of the day and transforms it to stillness, to quiet.” One of my most joyous moments is when I walk out into the snow and the dark. Because it is dark out often times there are far less distractions, less people, less construction, less cars, less day to day hurry. Snow absorbs sound and it’s an experience I’ve never been able to describe well to my many friends in warmer climates. The feeling is inspiring. It clears my mind. It is fuel to my wonder.

I always get the most amazing rest in the winter because of the darkness. Look around you, the world is resting (very much alive but resting). Winter can make you feel alone as can the darkness but you are not. Winter is a time for recovery and dreaming and you are doing it with half the world. Read by candlelight or daydream in the dark. Let ideas flow so that when spring comes you’re in a creation mindset. Use these colder months to manifest.