Article by Judy Mosley

 

Winter has never been far from my mind. And it feels like this particular year had disappeared faster than any other in my memory …

 

Already, August has slipped away and summer is nearly over.  As fair and gorgeous as Fall is, it’s never long enough.  So I’ve decided ahead of time that I would start preparing for winter now.

 

I don’t mean preparing by stocking up on supplies like ice salt and snow boots.  I’m talking about preparing myself on the inside.

 

It started with the idea of making my own Bucket List.  I am, of course, using the term that was used in the movie.  But I thought that instead of making a list of things to do before I die, I could make one for the winter.  It would be my list that I can refer to when I start to feel lost or emotionally down.  But the more I thought about that idea, I realized that there is much more that could be done than just making a list … 

 

You see … for some people, winter can be an exhaustive time of the year.  With all the activities that revolve around Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year, these holidays can leave many people wiped out.  Others, knowing that winter will bring on extra pounds or dreading the emotional rollercoaster around the holidays, enter the season already feeling down or stressed.  

 

So with this in mind … here are several ways that I will be preparing for this winter.  I think of it as preparing for winder by making important decisions now about how I want to handle winter and the holidays.  And this year, I’m hoping to make it a marvelous one.

 

Mentally

Is this the time of the year when you feel more depressed?  What gets you down?  What keeps your spirits upbeat?  Figure out what makes you feel happier and lighter and create time to include whatever you need in your day to feel that way.

 

Physically

All right … the food is coming.  We know that.  The fattening, processed, sugary, colorful, soupy stuff that can make us regret every bite on January first.  So what do you want to do this year?

 

If you want the freedom to enjoy it all, give yourself permission to indulge.  No guilt allowed on New Year’s Day.  Or, are you looking for more of a balance?  You might want to give yourself a little leeway and only indulge in the foods that you truly enjoy?  If you cut out everything that’s unhealthy, you may binge later.

 

Find an exercise that you really enjoy and make the decision now to stick with it no matter how you might be feeling.  And remember, exercise can help mentally as well as physically.

 

Spiritually

This season can often be the busiest because of all the activities that revolve around the holidays.

 

Our spirit can end feeling more dry and empty if we don’t make the time to refill it.  So what fuels your spirit?  Is it prayer?  Sitting in a quiet place, being still and listening to God?  Is it being in a place of worship with others?

 

Find out what connects your spirit to something larger than you.  Don’t skip or scrimp on this time … thinking that you might catch up later or that you need to do something else that’s more important.  Honestly, there’s nothing more important.  This isn’t being selfish.  This is your spirit, your soul.  And by making time for yourself, with a refreshed, blessed, whole spirit … you will be able to give more to the world around you.

 

Emotionally

Emotions can run a person ragged in the winter.  From extreme highs to frustrating lows, it can be very hard to feel stable during this time.  One thing that you can do to keep off this roller coaster is to let go of your expectations that can surround the holidays.

 

My Thanksgiving never looks like the ones that I see on TV and I don’t expect them to.  Keep in mind what your life is really like and don’t try to make it a dreamy version of what it’s not.

 

More important, remember to make time for those that you love.  Keep the activities low-key.  Call up a friend and go out to a movie.  Take the family out walking in the snow.  Find ways where you can connect with people and slow down at the same time.

 

Be real with yourself and with each other.  This alone can both heal and provide so many blessings on the inside.

 

And if you want to, make your own Bucket List!

 

Here’s mine: This winter, I want to fall in love with my kids again; I want to learn how to knit; Most of all, I want to have a blast.

 

Happy Holidays!!

 

Only with winter-patience can we bring
The deep desired, long-awaited spring.

-Anne Morrow Lindbergh

 

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