To Rest and Retreat

January usually arrives as a breath of fresh air. After the holiday madness of parties (although virtual this time), gift shopping and traveling to see family (well, this happened on a much smaller scale this year), the lack of a social calendar in January comes as a relief. And although there's that sense of relief from social obligations we suddenly have a new sense of pressure - new year resolutions. 

In past years, I've jumped head first into resolutions as soon as January 1st. Making lists and planning every hour of my day to get through all of the goals I've decided to dive into. But this year I'm going to do something different. I've decided to rest. To retreat into my home, taking time to bake, sleep, read the books I've been wanting to read and, well, anything I want to do. 

I recently read a book called Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat by Katherine May. In this book she describes wintering as a "fallow period in life when you're cut off from the world, feeling rejected, sidelined, blocked from progress, or cast into the role of an outsider." 2020 has certainly left me feeling exactly that way. My instinct is to fight off those bad feelings by making the list of goals I mentioned above but what if I'm just repressing those feelings instead of actually working through them? May writes, 

"We're urged to stop sweating the small stuff, yet we're chronically anxious. I often wonder if these are just normal feelings that become monstrous when they're denied." 

So instead of denying my feelings and pushing them aside, I'm taking January to journal, rest and to think about what I really want this year. My resolutions will come after my month of rest. 

This month I'll be exploring different aspects of my wintering season. You've probably already noticed that a few of the blog posts so far this month fit into this theme like this winter playlist or these loungewear picks. I'll also be sharing my relationship with nature during difficult times, my favorite bookstores in Philly since books seem to be what I turn to when I'm seeking comfort, journal prompts and more. 

And when I'm ready to make moves I'll remember this quote, 

"It often seems easier to stay in winter, burrowed down into our hibernation nests, away from the glare of the sun. But we are brave, and the new world awaits us, gleaming and green, alive with the beat of wings." 

How are you approaching January?