Winter is not a time of mourning, it is not a season of death. It is a time for conserving energy, it is realising the importance of making time for self care.

If plants and trees were to constantly be in the spring and summer stages of growth then they would quickly die during the winter season. Instead they have learnt to adapt to the season. If the conditions around them do not support growth then they do not give up completely or continue to fight against the situation they are in. Instead they just pause. They pause their growth, they don’t feel the need to be on show or at their optimum level of performance. They conserve their energy whilst waiting for spring, allowing them to survive the darkness. Then when spring comes they are fully ready to flourish and grow again.

Just like nature we can not be expected to be in a constant state of growth or always at peak performance levels. Sometimes we are experiencing darkness. In that time we need to pause. We do not need to be worried about putting on a show for the benefit of other people. Nor should we feel like we are failing because we are not growing or that we have lost our ‘summer leaves’. They will return. When the darkness leaves and the sun returns we will continue to grow again. For now though, we may need to pause.