Wintering: The Art of Resting, Retreating, and Trusting the Quiet Seasons

In nature, everything slows down in winter.

Bears hibernate. Trees rest. The ground turns inward.

So why do we keep pushing ourselves?

In her book Wintering, Katherine May writes:

“Life meanders like a path through the woods. We have seasons when we flourish and seasons when the leaves fall from us…”

This week is an invitation to stop fighting the stillness.

Why “Wintering” Is Good for Mental Health:

• It gives your nervous system time to reset

• It invites reflection instead of reactivity

• It helps you process what’s ending before rushing into something new

Wintering Practices:

• Morning journaling with no goal

• Saying “not right now” instead of “yes”

• A walk in nature without your phone

• Doing nothing on purpose

You don’t need to bloom right now. You just need to breathe.

This is your season to turn inward and let rest be enough.