The sun hides, tucked away behind clouds. The trees show bare branches, stark against the fading colour of the grass, and the air feels cold -fall days burgeoning into winter can feel unwelcoming. Sometimes, within ourselves, we too find a lack of colourful lust for life.
Feeling discouraged may actually help you find balance!
By looking deeper within and without we may notice some aspects that make all the difference. In the fall, the energy drops to the roots of plants. Root vegetables are a powerhouse of nutrition that can provide a backbone of heartiness to every meal over the course of the next four months. Fewer hours of daylight calls for greater prioritization of what needs doing during the day. This is a great time to adjust sleep schedules as well. Aiming to be in bed by 11 pm, for example, means getting up with the sun for 7 am. For night shift workers, maintaining a regular dosage of vitamin D (upon awakening), ensures adequate levels. Here too, night workers can aim to sleep by 6:30 am and be up for 2:30 pm to enjoy as much natural light as possible.
So how about dealing with that feeling of discouragement? Comparing ourselves to how, where, and what we expect of ourselves may shed some light on a need for realistic goal setting. Weight gain in the cold months comes naturally and holds a specific purpose such as insulation from the freeze and additional padding in the event of a slip. Trusting your body during these times comes as essential as trusting that the winter supports the evolved cycles of growth and production for our land. Slower practices of exercise are excellent ways to maintain shape and form.
Remember that consistency yields better results than perfectionism.
Be gentle with yourself. But also be your best friend in making choices. Eschewing overeating and indulging in processed sugary, salty, fatty foods pays off. By allowing yourself a small portion of foods you enjoy, and helping yourself to the plentitude of vegetables available, you can find deep satisfaction that lasts. And like the environment that brings its energy inwards, you can focus on hobbies that bring you joy and a sense of accomplishment.
Embrace starkness for the gift it brings, the deeper appreciation and sense of self, simply by acceptance. Then you may just find that your perception will lift and shift into seeing and enjoying the world as blanketed with the white canvas for your inner creativity.
