Choosing to embrace winter
Winter is not my favourite time of the year. I’m not a lover of the long dark nights and the dark mornings. A diagnosis of seasonal affected disorder about 15 years ago helped me to realise that I’m not alone in this. My light box is my best friend – it’s on while I’m writing this in fact!
That said though I’m always determined not to have a miserable time. I go all out to make sure that I get the most I can from this season and ensure that I enjoy as much as possible. I do this by being really intentional. In previous years I’ve written myself a list of the things that I love about the season and want to make sure I don’t miss.
This year SAD hit early. September was tough and so I’ve tried a different approach and each month I’ve written myself a fun list. Fun was my word for this year. The intention that I set last December for the whole of 2023. It seems fitting that for the last few months I’ve sat down on the first of the month and written a list of things I find fun and want to do or experience during the month. I write the list with the idea that more is better so my November list had over 30 items on it. I didn’t expect to get through all 30, instead I had a pick and mix I could choose from to give me a much needed winter boost.
My list for December is inevitably going to include a lot of Christmassy things. I’m looking forward to:
Going to a Christmas market
Indulging in one of those ridiculously sweet coffee shop Christmas drinks
My first mince pie of the season
Lighting the Advent candle
Putting the Christmas decorations up
Having a walk after dark to look at all the decorated houses
Singing at the carol service at our local church
Listening to Christmas music in the car
Listening to Christmassy audio books
Watching Christmas films
Walks on icy cold days with clear blue skies
Drinking my morning tea all wrapped up on a sunny but freezing day
Having a day when I all I do is read
Going through the Christmas Radio Times and circling all the things I want to watch
Mass on Christmas Day
Coffee after church on Christmas Eve
Going to the Really Awful Orchestra Christmas concert
Reading that list the darkest month of the year doesn’t seem that bad. In past years my winter list has been so full of Christmas things I’ve got to January and February and struggled a bit. Instead, this year I’m looking forward to writing a fresh list for January. A month that may include major surgery. If it does I’ll make sure there are lots of fun, gentle things to do. And if not I’ll make up for the disappointment with a fantastic list of things to do and experience. Winter will not beat me!
What about you what’s going to be on your list this month? Written or otherwise? How are you going to ensure that you’re intentional? How will you prioritise your priorities not just everyone else’s?
One way of doing this would be to join my December “Who am I now and what’s next?” free group coaching session. The theme is all about the power of being intentional, especially at this time of the year.
The coaching questions will help you to be intentional between now and the festivities and to choose a word or phrase as your intention for 2024.
Last month the comments from the participants included:
"I love how these questions focus the mind."
and
"I'm so excited to start these actions and an hour ago they weren't even in my head!"
The zoom session will be on Monday 18th December at 7pm GMT. It’s a very relaxed session, I don’t make anyone put their cameras on. And, if you can’t make it live you will receive a link to the replay. All you have to do is sign up here to secure your free spot and access to the replay. I’d love to see you there.
