Winter of the Soul

   Hey Friends! Recently I heard Mark and Juliana from Boho Beautiful talk about a "Winter of the Soul." And I thought that was such a beautiful way of naming those times when we feel a little bit frozen, when we can't seem to move forward, and when growth seems stagnant. You see, in life there are seasons for everything. In fact, the Bible has a whole book dedicated to this concept (check out Ecclesiastes). 

    There are times when we are in full bloom, when things are moving forward and growth is exploding all around us. During these times, we may feel excited and filled with possibility. There are times when we are in harvest, when we are reaping the rewards of those seeds of hard work and persistence we have sown. But there are also times when we are in winter, when things seem dormant and dead. Maybe we just finished a project or a door closed on an opportunity. Or maybe you just feel tired inside and need to slow down. It's during these times we need to be conscientious of what cycle we are in and what we need to do to weather this particular season. 

    When we find ourselves mentally or spiritually in winter, this may mean we need to take some time to rest, to slow down, to meditate and plan, or just to reset. Often winter can feel tough. You know that mid-February feeling that the sun will never come out again? But if you can remember this is only a season, it will help you to not only walk through this particular time, but also to make the most of the season you are in. During physical winter, all of nature is doing a reset. It is resting, hibernating, preparing for fresh growth in the spring. Similarly, when we are in a winter internally, we may need to slow down our outward effort, conserve our energy, look inward, and prepare ourselves for a fresh season of growth. 

    If you're in a winter right now, don't miss the beauty of this season and what it offers. Take the time to reset. Give yourself a break. Cut yourself some slack, and know that you are preparing to build something beautiful in the spring. Use this time to think and to dream. Get yourself ready for that next opportunity. Spring is just around the corner. I can't wait to see you succeed!

~K.L.W.