Out of Hibernation

I had multiple ideas for blogs for December through January.

I was going to write about being gentle around New Years Resolutions. I was going to write about ways to reflect on accomplishments from the previous year. I was going to write about holiday boundaries with family, or recharging our batteries, or taking the time to listen to our bodies and the season and slow down not push ourselves into productivity.

And then I didn’t.

I didn’t write anything at all.

And now it’s March. The metro DC area, where I live, is slowly showing signs of spring. And I haven’t posted anything in 3 months.

I’ll be honest, my first inclination was self-criticism. That inner critic was loud: You told yourself you would write! You had all these ideas! What were you doing with your time?

And then I realized how I was expecting of myself the exact opposite of what I was going to write. I wanted to write about how winters are for slowing down, and yet I was asking myself to add more to my plate. I was going to write about being kind and soft with our goals, and then berated myself for not achieving mine. I know that just about every other living thing slows down during the winter months…so why was I expecting to be exempt?

I know now that I needed that time. I still worked, still showed up in the ways that I need to. But I also took a vacation with my partner and didn’t look at my email. I read a lot of books that weren’t related to therapy. I got more sleep. And now, as we move into Spring, I find I can write again.

I hope if you listened to your body this winter season—moved more slowly, did less, or spent more time in rest—that you are able to offer yourself some compassion and acknowledge what it takes to slow down in this fast-moving world. Happy Spring!