There’s something about the start of winter that makes everything feel a little more honest. Maybe it’s the cold air or the fact that campus finally slows down, but this season always forces me to look at what I’m carrying mentally, emotionally, even energetically. Instead of dragging old stress or habits into the colder months, I’ve been thinking about what I actually want to take with me. The things that make me feel grounded, cared for, and more like myself.
Leaning into A slower, softer pace
Life moves so fast during the fall that I barely have time to process it. Winter is the one season where the world seems to say, “You can slow down now,” and honestly, I’m listening. I’m taking with me the intention to breathe more deeply, to spend time alone without distraction, and to enjoy the little routines that keep me grounded.
I want slow mornings, even if they’re short. I want to read for fun again. I want to take walks bundled up in a coat that makes me feel like a chic grandma. I want to let myself do things at half-speed without calling it “unproductive.” If fall was about pushing through, winter is about letting go.
Noticing the small joys instead of waiting for big ones
It took me a while to realize that waiting for major, life changing happiness means missing all the everyday moments that are quietly perfect. This winter, I want to pay attention to the small things: warm lights in my dorm, a friend remembering something random I said, the feeling of coming inside after being in the cold.
It’s easy to overlook these moments when everything gets overwhelming. But noticing them makes the season feel bigger and warmer than it actually is. I’m choosing to celebrate the tiny joys instead of waiting for something huge to happen.
More self-compassion
Winter can magnify everything you’re unsure about, whether that be school, relationships, your future, or yourself. Instead of spiraling into that uncertainty, I’m trying to meet it with patience. I want to let myself make mistakes, change my mind, and grow at my own pace.
Self compassion isn’t something that comes naturally to me, but winter feels like the right time to practice it. I want to talk to myself with more understanding, even when I feel overwhelmed. I want to give myself credit, even for the small things. I want to accept that not knowing everything is normal and temporary.
Quiet hope for what’s coming next
Winter can feel heavy, but there’s something about it that also feels like a reset. It’s the season right before everything blooms again, and that makes me want to hold onto a softer kind of hope, the kind that doesn’t expect too much, but still believes in better days.
I’m carrying with me the hope that things will make sense eventually, that I’ll find what I’m looking for, and that even the hard months have something good hidden inside them.
As I step into winter, I’m choosing what I hold onto. Not the stress, not the pressure, not the things that weigh me down, but the pieces of myself that I want to grow. And honestly, that feels like the warmest thing I can bring into the cold.