Finding Your Depth in the Stillness of Winter
As another snow blankets our world and darkness lingers, many of us find ourselves longing for spring, checking forecasts, counting days, and dreaming of green shoots breaking through frozen ground. Yes, the winter solstice has passed, and though the days are slowly growing longer, it still doesn’t feel that way, does it? Yet it seems to me that this season isn’t something to simply endure. I believe it holds something valuable, a quiet invitation to shift inward.
Just as trees draw their energy deep into their roots, storing strength for the seasons ahead, we, too, have an opportunity for a different kind of growth. One that happens in stillness, beneath the surface of our busy lives. There’s a richness to be found when we stop pushing against winter’s slowness and allow ourselves to settle into its quiet.
The Wisdom of Winter’s Pause
Nature doesn’t waste this season. Beneath the frozen ground, seeds are gathering strength. Behind bare branches, buds are forming. Everything that appears dormant is actually preparing for transformation.
Instead of rushing toward spring, we can take a cue from nature and:
• Create moments of sacred pause in our day, like the hush that follows fresh snowfall
• Listen for the whispers of our inner wisdom that often get drowned out by life's noise
• Allow ourselves to rest deeply, gathering strength like a seed beneath frozen ground
• Trust that even in stillness, important inner work is unfolding
Finding Your Inner Light
In the depths of winter, we’re naturally drawn to light—candles in windows, the warmth of a fire, the way sunlight glistens on snow. But there’s another kind of light worth exploring: the quiet glow of our own inner wisdom and resilience.
This is the perfect time to:
• Create a cozy corner for morning reflection or evening contemplation
• Notice what thoughts or emotions arise when you allow yourself to be still
• Explore what truly nourishes your sense of inner warmth and peace
• Practice self-compassion, like the gentle fall of snowflakes
• Trust that this season of apparent stillness is preparing you for something beautiful
The quieter we become, the more we can hear the guidance that has always been there. Have you had a moment this winter when stillness revealed something unexpected? I'd love to hear about it. What’s one insight you've gained in the quiet?
With so much wellness advice circulating online, it's easy to feel either bored or overwhelmed by tips and techniques. But depth isn’t found in another “how-to” list. It emerges in the quiet, when we create space to listen to ourselves. And if you’re finding it difficult to sit with what’s surfacing, therapeutic coaching can offer a compassionate space to explore your inner landscape more deeply.
If you know someone who may benefit from this perspective, please share this with them and invite them to join my mailing list (below).
Sending you warmth and light,
Sally
