YOUR WINTER ARC: the power of a winter transformation

harnessing the slower energy of winter for a personal transformation arc

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By JENNY SMITH MATTFELDT Published November 20, 2024

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Every year there’s a new buzzword or trend for how we approach the winter months. The name might change, but the core idea remains the same: winter is the perfect season for self-improvement, personal growth, and transformation. It makes sense each season has a unique energy that naturally encourages certain behaviors. Spring is all about fresh starts, growth, and renewal. Summer inspires energy, adventure, and social connection. Autumn encourages reflection, preparation, and letting go of what no longer serves you. But winter? It's your chance to step back and embrace the slower energy. Rather than giving up and letting seasonal depression creep in look at it as your opportunity to 'disappear' and work on becoming a stronger, more grounded version of yourself.

Mind

Develop a Growth Mindset: Winter is the ultimate time to read books that inspire personal development or tackle new skills you've been curious about. If you're looking for some self development content Atomic Habits by James Clear, Discipline is Destiny by Ryan Holiday, and The Power of One More by Ed Mylett are amazing places to start. What I love about every one of these books is it puts the responsibility on you. Nobody is coming to save you, the only way things are going to change is if you change them.

Declutter Your Mental Space: Journal to process emotions, clear your mind, and track progress. If you truly want to see changes you need to make room by clearing out some of the old energy. Make it special, get yourself a new journal, dump out all those old limiting beliefs and bad habits onto paper, and write down the thoughts and habits you want to use to replace them.

Learn Something New: Take an online course, dive into a new hobby, or explore a topic you’ve always been interested in. Learn about the area you're in, are there natural hot pots close by you didn't know about? Maybe an area with wild horses and donkeys you could go see?

Establish a Morning Routine: Humans function best with a routine, no matter how much some people (me) push against it. Having a small series of things you do every morning sets you up for a more focused, more successful day. My Grammi once shared her secret to starting the day with intention: she wakes up early, prepares a drink, and journals her daily devotionals. This morning ritual ensures that no matter how the rest of the day unfolds, whether it’s spent caring for others or navigating chaos, she at least had that time to pour into herself.

Body

Improve Physical Health: Commit to a winter-friendly workout routine like yoga, home HIIT sessions, weight lifting, or skiing.

Prioritize Nutrition: Focus on whole, warming foods rich in nutrients (think soups, stews, and seasonal vegetables.) Eastern Medicine tells us to focus on warming foods like ginger, garlic, and onions, root vegetables including sweet potatoes, yams, carrots, and winter squash, proteins like bone broths, lamb, beef, and eggs, kidney supporting foods like walnuts, kidney beans, and dark leafy greens, and bitter flavors like grapefruit and celery to help support the heart and kidney workload in the colder months.

Upgrade Your Sleep: Create a cozy nighttime routine that ensures quality rest. You already know where I'm going with this one if Magnesium Glycinate has one fan, it's me. It soothes your nervous system which in turn helps you have more restful sleep.

Winter Skincare: Adapt your skincare to combat the dryness of winter: moisturize more, stay hydrated, and use SPF even on cloudy days. Romanticize the process for yourself with a sheet mask like these Korean hydrating ones or try something tried and true like The Ordinary hyaluronic acid serum. Not only will it be amazing for dry winter skin but caring for yourself with intention will help keep any winter seasonal depression from creeping in.

Soul

Deepen Spiritual Practices: Spend time reflecting on your faith, values, or purpose. Practices like prayer, meditation, or reading spiritual texts can help.

Practice GratitudeKeep a gratitude journal to highlight the positives in your life. Our brains aren't set up to process gratitude and anxiety at the same time. So, if the colder months have you feeling sluggish, focusing on gratitude might be the surprising boost your mental health needs.

Reconnect with Nature: Take walks in the crisp air, even if it’s cold, to ground yourself and soak in the season’s beauty.

Connect Authentically: Focus on strengthening relationships with meaningful conversations and quality time. This is true always, but especially in the winter when you're not seeing your loved ones as much. Adult friendships require intentional action to continue so make it a priority to reach out whether it's a phone call or a coffee date.

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