Why Winter Is The Best Time To Slow Down

Life is full of challenges. It’s a beautiful chaotic mess of ebbs and flows.

One thing I’ve learned over the years after facing many challenges (as a single mom in burnout), not only the ones life throws at you, but the ones you face on purpose to stretch, grow or overcome something is the incredible importance of REST.

I feel like I can’t express this enough.

You have to recharge your energy before the next challenge begins, so you are refreshed. Even if you feel super driven or motivated, you can’t always be in production mode. It’s so important to take time out from the busyness of life to restore your energy. This is the only way you can really heal your body and mind.

Listen to podcast version of this blog post -Episode #46  : Find A Joy To Be Me on iTunes, iHeartRadio, Stitcher or Spotify 

You see, constant stress and tension will break even the MOST RESILIENT people. I believe I am resilient, but let me tell you, life took me down hard many times and showed me how to REST on purpose.

I’ve built a routine where I allow plenty of downtime in my schedule so I can refresh my energy and keep going. It really helps me to stay focused as well as be well equipped to handle any challenges that come my way.

When I was at my worst, totally exhausted even the most basic daily tasks felt like I had to climb a mountain. Imagine how crushing to the spirit that is when you can barely drag yourself out of bed to get your kids their breakfast and sent off to school.

It took a long time to recover from my traumatic split and I know you too will experience challenges in your life such as; trauma, break-ups, relationship or family problems, financial and health worries, stress or conflict. It's part of our human experience and we can learn to be prepared as best as we can. While also knowing it's normal to go through challenges, so we don't beat ourselves up when they happen.

So give yourself permission to create space to take a step back so you can regain perspective. If you don’t already have this space created in your life, like I spoke about in my last post, why not?

What is the reason you are telling yourself you can’t have time or space just for you so you can refuel, rest and restore? Does it feel indulgent? Wrong? Unfamiliar? Do you not feel like you deserve it?

If you are in a challenge now or just through one, it’s a good time to hit the pause button before you tackle and big decisions in your life. Maybe you are even just now recovering from the busy holiday season and stress that can come along with that. Hitting pause will help you to regain some mental clarity first, so you can make good decisions out of feeling renewed versus feeling frazzled.

It may even be a good idea to plan some time off work. Do you ever take ‘mental health’ days? Or personal days just to do something indulgent? I feel like so many people save their personal days to get things done. What if you gave yourself permission to not do anything, just be, just rest, recharge?

There really is a incredible power in simply staying silent and inactive at times.

The Winter Slow Down

Winter is an especially great time for this, a season of hibernation in a way. No growth happens in winter because the cold temperatures slow down metabolism in plants. This allows plants to go into a dormant state and it is a survival mechanism to help them gear up for spring and summer.

The same is true for you and I. Lean into the winter season and allow it to be a season of respite for you. Embrace the time of rest, gather your strength, engage in activities that will revitalize you, such as eating healthy, practicing gentle detox and start cultivating healthy habits for your mind, body, soul.

Winter is also a great time to build up your mental strength by clearing out mental clutter or stress. Journaling can help with this, so can meditation (a in a way that works for you).

The key is to create peace, calm, tranquility for yourself. Do this for you and model it to your kids. You do not always have to be doing, doing, doing (you are not the Energizer bunny). If you feel like you have to be in constant go mode, evaluate why that is. Why do you feel unable to BE more present and do less? 

Creating Time For Solitude

Sometimes you may even need a little solitude. Especially if you are coming out of a season of challenges. It’s important to take time apart from others to gather your OWN thoughts and feelings. To not be so influenced by what everyone else thinks you should do or even to be influenced by their perceived stressors.

It’s a good practice to build in some solitude in your life, just enough so you can re-evaluate things. I do this regularly now so I am well grounded when a challenge does come up or when I need to dig in and work through something that requires more concerted effort.

Solitude, is often a difficult thing for many people to bear. As a single mom, I had to get really okay with being in the space of solitude. It became so necessary to recharge my batteries and rejuvenate my spirit. I am really grateful for learning how to be OK on my own in solitude, because it has been a catalyst to greater inner strength for me.

I have more confidence in myself and my ability to handle life that ever before. Even when it’s hard I can draw from those deep reserves of inner strength that came out of solitude, or what I like to call ‘radical self-care’. It’s only radical because our society is still stuck in go, go, go mode and we seem to only feel valid or worthy if we are productive, accomplished and achieving. Even if it costs us our soul, emotional well being and mental peace.

As the New Year progresses, the holiday season slips behind us more and we shift back into a routine and rhythm, it’s easy to start to feel the need to push towards your resolutions, goals, intentions.

I for one am excited to wake up everyday and move towards my own intentions as well as resolve some lingering things I still need to take care of.

But before I push too hard with this New Year motivation and you as well, I’m keeping this reminder close. To ground and recharge myself daily so I can do the inner work, the inner healing through meditation, time in nature.

I use this a my best weapon against stress and anxiety, as well as to review my progress. Reassess my priorities.

It is almost like conducting your own ‘post-implementation review’ following a major milestone or a significant challenge. Create time and space to evaluate what has worked well, what has not, and what you need to change. Pausing to reflect after each major challenge will position you well for success in the future.

This is how you integrate the things you really want into your life. From a more spacious place you give yourself the gift of flow and expansion towards growth. Instead of more of a forced, pushing, driving, action-taking way of life which doesn’t allow you to BE. To be still, calm and 'zen'. Or to get to know yourself, love yourself and trust you know what you need most.

It really is necessary to take a reprieve from action and make space for contemplation, if you want to create vibrant health and enjoy your life.

Then when you feel more nourished from this space and rest you have given yourself, you’ll be better able to create a well thought out plan for yourself. Instead of rushing into action (aka: reacting), it may be necessary to put some deep consideration into what you desire to do next. This is where solitude and space come in, to allow for that to come forth.

It helps you to let yourself think through all of your options, let yourself explore different perspectives. Then you can do what it takes to feel prepared and ready before taking your next move. (Especially, after any major life challenge).

Creating space for rest and solitude helps you to consciously choose to stabilize your thoughts. Do whatever makes you feel the most centered and alert, such as journaling or meditation. Plan, prepare, and quietly stabilize yourself. Treat your mental energy as a precious resource, and do what you need to do to bring it back to full capacity.


If you are looking for support with a mentor and coach to empower you further than you can on  your own, so you can radically transform your health & life... I invite you to book a breakthrough session with me.  A breakthrough session is designed to provide you with clarity, confidence and effective tools to move beyond the challenges you are facing (in your health or life) and a simple action plan to follow so you can start creating a life you love.

Now, I'd love to hear from you. Did this post resonate with you? Do you create space for rest and solitude so you are recharged and clear on what you want in your life? Let me know in the comments.