It may be unconventional, but the Winter Solstice is my favorite day of the year. Now, to be clear, winter is NOT my favorite season. (Although it’s much more tolerable here in Louisiana than it was in Chicago!)
So why all the love for the solstice?
To me, the winter solstice represents the return of light. There’s something deeply comforting to me knowing that, no matter how cold the winter gets, the light is returning.
For a few years now I have been… not celebrating the solstice per se because to me, celebrating implies lots of fanfare and effort… I guess you could say I’ve been observing it. For me, it’s a day of quiet contemplation, gentle music, candles, and lots of self-reflection.
I know most people use the New Year to set their goals and intentions, but I actually find using the solstices and equinoxes works well for me. At the equinoxes, I reflect on how balanced I feel. I also use the spring equinox to focus on growth, and the autumn equinox to focus on changes I need to make to my habits. At the summer solstice, I focus on output and production in all areas of my life. This is when I take all that growth from the spring and start putting it into something.
That leaves the winter solstice to think about what I need to let go. It’s a time for slowing down and restoring my mind, body, and soul so that I am ready to go once that spring equinox comes around.
Because I’m an instructional designer by profession and a nerd by nature, I created a PDF guide that I hope will help you create an intentional winter. You can download it below:
May you find peace and restoration this winter!