February 6, 2015

Winter: A Time to Turn Inward.

When you try to live a gratitude-filled life, you try to appreciate each and every day through every season. But let’s face it, we’re human. We’re flawed. Some days we simply take for granted.

Winter is the one time of year I struggle with gratitude. Spring is filled with excitement for a new garden, leaving every day with a ‘to do’ that’s fun. Summer is filled with late nights of laughter, crickets singing, and don’t forget the fireworks! And we can’t forget Fall with its crisp, beautiful colors and temperatures to match.

Winter? Where I live, it brings buckets of snow topped with dangerous ice; months of frigid temperatures with long days in wet, cold clothing at work (it’s sometimes unavoidable, even in an office setting!) New England winters aren’t for the faint of heart.

But even during the coldest, darkest nights of winter, I push my heart to see the good in the season. And if there isn’t good I can see with my eye, I push my heart a bit further to make my own piece of good.

During the winter, making your own good sometimes means turning inward. Happiness comes through finding simple treasures indoors and learning to love your own entertainment.

{Baking}
I appreciate the triple goodness that comes from baking in the winter: make food from scratch more often, enjoy homemade and slow cooked meals, and heat your kitchen for free!

{Singing & Dancing}
When’s the last time you bellowed out a favorite song, or just let yourself fall into the silliest of dance moves? Best. feeling. ever.

Lately, my two favorite dance tracks have been “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars and “My Jam” by Mr. Vegas.

Even if the winter blues have you in their grip, throw on a song with a good beat and slip into the fun of it all. I promise that you’ll feel the freedom of summer, even if just for a few minutes! Don’t believe me? Just watch.

{Meditation}
It may sound silly if you’ve never tried it, but meditation is a beautiful thing when you can’t enjoy the beauty of nature (heck, it’s a beautiful thing all year ’round)!

Whether you listen to quiet soothing music, nature sounds, or practice a mantra meditation, it’s important for all of us to stop a few minutes each day and just be.

If you’ve never tried meditating before, I recommend trying out Calm (website or app). It’s a great starting point and you can take it from there!

{Writing}
I can’t help but cringe when I see how long I’ve been away from this little space of love, my blog. I too often forget how sacred this writing place is; from the connections with kindred free spirits, to gardeners, farmers, and homesteaders from all over the world.

It’s far too easy to put the things that make our hearts happy on the back burner. But then a day comes when it’s time to start again. To come back and start anew.

What season is it where you live?

How do you enjoy the indoors & turning inward?

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http://letsdrinkcoffeedarling.blogspot.com/ Saxon

It does seem so much easier to lose sight of daily gratitude during the winter. It’s almost subconscious, but you can just tell because it seems like we allow the house to get a little messier and we’re more tired in the wintertime. haha Goodness, you guys have been getting a lot of snow up there this year!

Those biscuits look pretty tasty! I always enjoy drinking English style tea during the winters!
- http://belongwithwildflowers.com/ Caitlin
  
  It has definitely been a winter of bitter cold & too much snow for the US this year! Hoping that winter is calming down where you are & Spring will be here before we know it
http://jenniferkellandperry.wordpress.com/ Jennifer

Caitlin, I hear you on your beef with winter. You New Englanders have endured a few wallops, haven’t you? It is sunny here today but oh so cold, and I was hoping to get out and stretch my legs, but I need a ski mask to stand it! How do I endure? Reading, blogging, editing my book, trying to get the first one published – there’s plenty to do but I do long for spring and the warm summer days just like you.

Thanks for the meditation link. I’m going to try it!

Jennifer xo
- http://belongwithwildflowers.com/ Caitlin
  
  It’s been a crazy winter in New England! It was 60 degrees on Christmas Day, then it has snowed almost every day in February, leaving us with about 7 feet of snow in 3 weeks! It’s one winter I’ll never forget, that’s for sure. Reading & editing sound like lovely ways to turn inward during the winter. I hope your book editing is going well! When you publish, I’ll definitely be buying a copy
  - http://jenniferkellandperry.wordpress.com/ Jennifer
    
    Thank you, Caitlin! I have decided, if I get no acceptance by midsummer, I will publish independently. My husband will do the cover artwork if I go that route. Editing is going slow on the second book, probably because I’m still hung up on the first, trying to get it out there. But I’m getting down to serious business next week and putting a big dent in it.
http://www.tinabumblebee.com Tina Yurek

Winter is definitely a season for writing. It’s my most depressing season and therefore when words come to me the easiest.
- http://belongwithwildflowers.com/ Caitlin
  
  Yes, exactly! Winter time is depressing for me too — I feel like it pushes people either into a place of creativity or isolation. Counting down the days to Spring for us both!
http://www.kellydelvalle.net/ Kelly Del Valle

1.) I’m so happy you’re back! <3
2.) Whenever I imagine being snowed in, I think of a big, fuzzy blanket, a pile of books, steaming hot tea, and writing a novel that actually reaches completion…and little arctic foxes frolicking around outside. Deep down I KNOW it won't be like that but… a Floridian can dream, right?
- http://belongwithwildflowers.com/ Caitlin
  
  Thanks, I’m so glad to be back! Winter time makes me turn inward so much that sometimes I forget how much I love writing & connecting with others
  
  Floridians can definitely dream! And I have to say – aside from the arctic foxes, winter snow in’s up in MA are just like that. Lots of blankies, steaming cups of coffee/tea & time to create! Hoping you’re having a great winter in FL so far
Sandra

This is the hard month of winter for me. I can stay pretty optimistic and then just lose it in Feb. especially with the below zero temps.
- http://belongwithwildflowers.com/ Caitlin
  
  I’m right there with you, Sandy! I stay chipper until February, then I’m ready to throw the towel in. Here’s hoping Spring comes early & we all sat to defrost soon
http://www.sparrowinthetreetop.com/ Emily Anne

Lady I hear you! This past weekend Ottawa was dubbed “The Coldest Capital in the World” (we pushed Ullan Batar out of the top spot). I like how you see the silver lining in things though I’m trying to keep my own sanity by focusing on the good as well. Stay warm!!
- http://belongwithwildflowers.com/ Caitlin
  
  Oh my goodness — that is one city naming you definitely don’t want, haha! Brr! I hope the sun returns to you soon & Spring is not far behind!
http://www.littlebigharvest.blogspot.com Andrea @Little Big Harvest

Nice to ‘see’ you, Caitlin! I wrote a comment a few days ago but it didn’t show up, weird! Anyway, I wanted to tell you I find similar ways to get through these long, harsh winter days. Winter is a bear! Thanks for this soft, warm, happy post…it made my day.