The Beauty of Winter
Winter mental health themes often focus around Seasonal Affective Disorder, winter blues, Depressive symptoms, isolation, anxiety, etc. All of these themes are important to discuss, as they are very real. And there is also room to spend some time inviting the beauty of nature and the winter season into the discussion remembering that winter is one of the seasons of the Earth and has its lessons for us.
Winter Solstice
In the Northern Hemisphere, the first day of winter occurred on Sunday, December 21st at 10:03 am EST. In other words, we celebrated the winter solstice! While the solstice marked the start of astronomical winter, it did not mark the start of meteorological winter, which began 3 weeks before the solstice (Almanac, 2025). A little bit of trivia for you! The winter solstice is known for being the “shortest day” of the year because of having the fewest hours of daylight. While that means we don’t have a lot of daylight that day it does signal the beginning of the days beginning to grow longer again until the summer solstice! Translation. It starts to become brighter as we head back into more daylight!
Winter Visualization
Winter brings colder temperatures, less sun light, and maybe even snow depending on where one lives. Let’s take a moment to call to mind a snowy winter scene for a moment or a winter nature scene of your choice. It all depends on you and what inspires you! When you have the image in your mind, call to mind the different details. For example, if it is a snowy scene, is the sun reflecting on the snow or ice? Are there ice icicles hanging from the trees? Are there any animals in your scene? Remember to use all your senses - sight, smell, touch, hearing, and taste. Be mindful to only go as deep as it feels safe. Since it is your visualization you can add any details that you want. If being in a winter scene makes you feel cold, you may consider inviting a camp fire into the visualization to keep you warm if needed or wanted. If having friends and family is a value of yours and you want them in there with you, invite them!
Take your time in the space that you created as you appreciate the beauty of winter. Notice what comes up for you in the space and honor whatever it is. If feeling appreciation for winter does not feel authentic that is okay. Just notice what does. No matter what comes up, hold it with lots of self-compassion.
Winter Themes
When it comes to winter certain themes tend to be evoked. Some of these themes include but are not limited to:
Embracing stillness
Hibernation and renewal
Rest and self-care
Introspection and clarity
Winter has a way of asking us to slow down and consider what we need, not what we want so that when the time comes we can brightly bloom. If we take our inspiration from nature, we know that spring does come as does summer. There is renewal that comes after a period of rest.
A nature scene with a frozen lake, snow over mountains, the last light of day, and a half moon in the background.
take action today moment:
Find a winter theme or visualization space that resonates with you and inspires you. Use it to remind yourself of the power and inspiration of winter and of yourself. Take time to slow down, reflect, and listen to what you need.
References
Almanac. (2025, September 10). The first day of winter: Winter solstice 2025. https://www.almanac.com/content/first-day-winter-winter-solstice