My garden is fully asleep now. As each plant rests under the blanket of snow covering them, they gently prepare for the time when they wake back up. It’s a rhythm I think we can learn from in the never-ending cycle of our modern lives.
For the last couple of years I’ve really been exploring slow living. The whole concept appeals to my sensitive soul. I think it may also be a rebellion against the whole hustle culture. Slowing down, returning to nature and lowering the toxin load in my home have also been steps to regulate my nervous system.
That’s why I created this Simple Living category. It was a way for me to practice time-honored methods of living. The practices, habits, routines and hobbies my grandmothers and great-grandmothers used in their daily lives. Those “old-fashioned” recipes for cleaning or disinfecting did the job without interrupting our internal systems.
Going back to traditional ways has fit seamlessly in with embracing a more natural or organic lifestyle. Lowering our homes’ toxin loads is one way of achieving this healthier lifestyle.
Another method I’ve been practicing is by intentionally slowing down. Noticing. Pausing. Reflecting. Giving my mind white space to consider things and problem solve in the background. Giving myself grace when “getting things done around the house” takes longer than is Instagram-approved.
There’s so much noise and information to take in that I think we easily become saturated. Perhaps part of a simple life is editing out some of those artificial noises. Perhaps part of it is allowing for the sounds of nature and silence to permeate our consciousness.
If that sounds unattainable to you right now, try starting with a small daily routine. Instead of listening to a podcast, do the ritual with soft, calm music playing in the background, working your way up to doing it in quiet.
Try listening to your home in the quiet and solitude of these winter months. The wind howling around the eaves, the damper of a snow-clad world, the drip of an icicle melting, the crackle and pop of wood burning in the fireplace and the calling of the birds who’ve braved the chill.
Winter is the season for slowing down. It’s the season for rest and reflection. It’s the season for continuing working on the systems and routines that work well for you. It’s the season for planning for when nature wakes back up.
As I’ve been exploring what it means to gently embrace the four seasons and lean into them rather than fight against them, I’ve noticed a few things. Things like how my energy matches the rhythm of the seasons. In winter I rest more, prefer moving slowly. In early spring, I notice my energy picks up and I find I have more bursts of it to tackle bigger projects, especially around the house. While in mid-to later spring, I notice I’m ready for a fresh start as the trees and flowers bloom with their own fresh beginnings.
If you’re interested in moving through the year with more connection to the rhythms of the seasons, how that can relate to your home and the life you’re building in it, I’d love it if you'd join me over on Substack where I publish my weekly newsletter called Singlenesting Letters. Each Saturday morning I send a note directly to your email from my home to yours. You can subscribe for free to receive these gentle notes.
This year, we’ll be exploring the rhythm of the seasons and how we can embrace them into our homes and our lives.
I hope to see you there!
