5 Self-Care Practices for Winter
Hello, 2024! Although we have embarked on a new calendar year, I’m here to remind you that we’re in the middle of winter. In Ayurvedic traditions and other elemental healing practices, winter is a season of rest. So, consider this an invitation for you to do less! Flow with the season’s energy by:
Quieting your mind & body to bring your awareness inward
Grounding & preserving your energy
Nourishing your body, mind & soul
Taking time for self-reflection to gain clarity
Focusing on yourself by celebrating last year’s accomplishments, setting new intentions & manifesting
While modern society considers January a good time to start over & set new year's resolutions, intuitively you may not feel aligned with that approach. Listen to your innate knowing. Give yourself permission to pause. If you don’t feel like setting intentions, don’t. 😉 Take all the time you need.
To push forward in the middle of winter is counterintuitive, and the complete opposite of what nature is guiding us to do. Take a look around, nature is asleep: trees are barren, there are few flowers in bloom, most plants & veggies are beneath the surface, and animals are in hibernation. Nature is preserving its energy… and WE are part of nature. Culture & society has programmed us to keep going, moving, producing, working, etc., regardless of the season, breaking our connection with nature. Most of us exist in modern society, so complete hibernation isn’t realistic, but there are ways to carve out moments of rest and CHOOSE to do less.
Ayurveda is about balance. Think about different mini moments of self-care you can incorporate into your daily life to feel nourished & replenished. For a moment, set aside your To Do lists & obligations, and ask yourself: “What do I need right now?”
Do you envision yourself indoors, cozying up in warm blankets, with a book, movie, or loved ones?
Do you see yourself baking goodies or cooking a nourishing meal?
Or do you prefer a brisk morning hike or walk outdoors?
Regardless of what may come up for you, this is what it means to tap into to your innate knowing or intuition. Every time you choose something that serves you and fills your well, you are expressing self-love and self-care.
If you’re curious about what you can do for yourself this winter, here are my go-to self-care practices for the season:
5 Simple Winter Self-Care Practices:
Salt scrubs. Salt scrubs, when applied in a circular motion from the hands to the heart then feet to the heart, stimulate the lymphatic system. Our lymphatic system flows in the opposite direction from the blood (from the heart out to the extremities), and is the key to our immunity, according to Ayurveda. When you don’t have time for a walk or skipped your daily workout, salt scrubs are a great way to invigorate the cardiovascular system!
Vinyasa Yoga. Movement is medicine. Again, it’s all about lymphatic movement! Winter is a yin or cool time of year, so a more rigorous yoga practice, like Vinyasa Yoga, helps to move prana or energy. Support your immune health with daily movement! Not into yoga? Try a brisk walk, run, or bike ride.
Nourish your body with warming foods. Soup or stew and winter veggies like squash, kale & brussels sprouts nurture our inner fire or agni. When your inner fire is in balance, you have good energy, healthy digestion & feel happy overall. Nature provides us with exactly what we need each season. Not sure what’s in season? Take a walk through your local farmer’s markets to see what’s in season in your region of the world 😉
Meditation or journaling. It’s all about being in the moment. If you tend to get caught up in “what’s next” or are in the habit of constantly filling up your schedule, this one’s for you! (You know who you are 😜) Meditation helps calm the sympathetic nervous system, which is beneficial for those who experience elevated anxiety & stress. If you’re a fan of guided meditations, check out one of my favorites podcasts: Meditation Minis with Chel Hamilton. I’ve been listening to her podcast on/off since 2015. She has a wide variety of meditations, most of them under 10 minutes! I love her because she’s a hypnotherapist and has a super relaxing voice. If you’re into apps, I suggest: the Insight Timer app, which I’ve been using since 2015, too!
Saying “No” to things that drain your energy. Protecting your energy is one of the the most important ways to not only preserve your energy, but also help create healthy boundaries. If you find yourself saying “yes” to everything and everyone around you, pause & ask yourself: “Is this something that would serve me right now? Do I really want to do this?” If it’s a “no”, or even a faint “no”… then kindly decline the invitation. Learning how to say “no” to people was one of the toughest, but also the most valuable lessons I had to learn when I was starting to focus on self-love.
Remember, winter is all about replenishing your energy.
I hope this inspires you to love on yourself a more this season! I’d love to hear your go-to winter self-care practices.
Sending all the winter love,
Kristin