The Search for Internal Warmth

As the colder months settle in and we embark on what tend to be darker, drearier days, we may notice a shift in our mood as well. This shift can often lead to everything seeming more challenging. Work, parenting, friends, relationships, solitude; all seem more daunting and burdensome.

This could lead to blaming the cold, the weather, or other external factors for our own internal state. It is likely true that the winter months can be triggering.  There is a whole diagnostic category for this phenomenon. However, the winter months, particularly when there is less travel and less celebrating, offer time and opportunity to look inwards.

Introspection and sadness are portrayed in such negative lights that we become scared of our own feelings. If we can notice this and take a more curious stance, we may be able to grow during darker, colder months. The “bad” feelings sometimes carry information and important messages about our own state of mind, desires, and hopes for the future. Thinking of the winter time as a moment where we can pause and contemplate can help us make more sound choices and decisions about our future.

As we run less from these feelings, we can approach them with more warmth. We can light a small bonfire on the inside and pay attention to what comes up. Spring and summer, in all of their glory, offer plenty of distractions. The offering of the winter is a chance to learn more about ourselves and, perhaps, the sadness and worry can soften or melt as this happens. Of course, part of this process is uncomfortable, though hopefully with time, it becomes worthwhile.