Winter Is Coming

"You are the sky. Everything else -- it's just the weather." ~ Pema Chodron

The winter months can be a difficult time for those who wrestle with depression. 

As the days shorten the struggle against a deep desire for hibernation is all too real and remaining engaged and emotionally available for work, family and friends can become an uphill crawl.

Life is an ongoing series of highs and lows. Our preference, of course, would be to live in perpetual high-flying moods where all the traffic lights are green, printers never jam or run out of ink, and the house magically stays clean.

Fortunately, tough times never last. Each of us has an individual rhythmic tide and the challenge is learning to live well within the flow of it. 

"You cannot protect yourself from sadness without protecting yourself from happiness." 
~ Jonathan Safran Foer

Some of us need a little more rest than others. 

Viewing the lower tides as a gift from the Universe allows a necessary slow down to focus on self-care. These emotional pit stops are an opportunity to rest weary limbs and continue the journey in a more joy-filled way.

For me, downtime devoted to meditating, journaling, and sunlight sitting elevates my mood and encourages a stronger emergence of increased clarity. Hibernating in this new way makes for quicker recovery from a sinking episode of overwhelming hopelessness spent hiding in darkness beneath a pile of blankets.  

Winter is coming. It's time to choose a method of healing over hiding during the low tides.   

Decide to rest well. It will be spring soon.

"The walls we build around us to keep sadness out also keeps out the joy." ~ Jim Rohn

Is there a specific time of year you find more difficult than another?
Do you have healthy mechanisms in place to support you through your personal winters?
How can you repurpose your down times to serve as a pause for healing?

Join the journey and experience the joy of unfolding!

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