The Quiet Wisdom of Winter

Every December, I find myself caught off guard by how much I struggle with the shorter days of early winter. In the Northern Hemisphere, we’re nearing the winter solstice—the day with the least daylight of the year. Here in Middle Tennessee, we lose about five hours of daylight between the blue skies of June and the gray light of December.

And yet, when I lean into the rhythms of winter, I find there’s something to learn from this dormant time. I want to share two resources that have been especially helpful in embracing this often uncelebrated season.

The first is an episode of NPR’s Life Kit podcast featuring Kari Leibowitz, author of How to Winter. In it, she offers accessible and practical tips for cultivating what she calls a “wintertime mindset.” You can find the episode and transcript here.

The second resource is a poem by David Whyte, one I often share with my coaching clients. I invite you to sit with this piece and notice which words or phrases resonate with you. Whyte reminds us of the beauty in this season of stillness:

“What disturbs and then nourishes has everything we need.”

May this winter offer you its quiet gifts of reflection, rest, and renewal.