So… Happy New Year! For many of us, today is the beginning of the first “proper” working week of 2026, and how are you feeling? Fully refreshed and ready to begin all the ‘New Year – New You’ programmes you promised yourself that you would do…? Or are you, like me, feeling tired, a bit down and wanting to hibernate – especially given that the view from my office now looks like this and more snow is falling as I write…
There’s such a lot of pressure put on us to accept the ‘New Year – New You’ philosphy, particularly from advertisers and social media who want us all to plunge into amazing exercise and eating programmes so we can emerge, svelte and glowing, after ‘just six weeks’ or whatever… Believe me, I’m not knocking it if that’s the direction in which you feel genuinely drawn, but for many of us here in the northern hemisphere it is an achievement just to get ourselves out of bed in what is the darkest, coldest part of the year.
For me, lethargy is the predominating feeling at the moment, and my thoughts come slowly – as if they are emerging through treacle. It’s taken me most of my 60 years to realise that this is how I am supposed to be right now… I am Wintering. It’s normal to be feeling tired, a bit down and wanting to hibernate at this time of year; we are supposed to feel like that. If I have made a New Year’s Resolution at all, it is to give myself permission to listen to my body and mind – to listen to my ancestral wisdom, which is where I will find acceptance and peace; it’s ok to not feel like going for a swim today, and I am not going to apologise or feel guilty about it.
So for now, like the trees and plants outside, I will withdraw under my thick blanket to rest and practice Reflection – just being in quietude until the blossom emerges, which is when I know I will feel like Renewing. Until then – I am Wintering.
