A new year is just around the corner and my little part of the world has plunged into winter.
Consequently, I'm visiting my family in their home for some festive celebrations and could think of no better way to start the day than with pancakes.
Last year I struggled to enjoy winter to the fullest, missing my long hikes and afternoons sitting and reading by the lake.
But this season is crucial to the health of my wilderness home, for the animals, plants and humans alike.
So this year i rededicated myself to a time of wintering, and there is nothing that inspires me like the very first snow, where everything looks as if it's been dusted with fine sugar and all is glistening and perfect, much like a quaint little landscape painted on a snowy afternoon.
Though I was technically born in the autumn, as a December baby I've always sought to create a positive relationship with the wintertime.
As so often on my birthday, all that I can see is blanketed in white and the temperatures have plummeted.
One thing I have been enjoying this month has been going to cafes and holiday markets with my family.
It's such a delightful atmosphere to see the work of artisans and enjoy all the cozy festivities.
I guess it's a moment.
All too aware of the impending new year, i realize i rarely make a proper new year's resolution.
However, i will share something that has deeply helped me this year overcome a lot of stress and worry, and it's that before i make any lifestyle change, i start with an inquiry within.
So often I have friends tell me they want to start spending more quality time with their loved ones, using their phones less or exercising more.
Often this involves buying a lot of new gym equipment or planning things out to an amazing extent.
And all of these goals are very well and good, but in my personal experience, I've not been able to apply true self-control without first asking myself What is standing in the way of making these changes.
What is it within, in my heart, that is hindering my journey towards who I want to be?
Is it pride or something harder to pinpoint?
For me, most of what was standing in my own way of making permanent change was a fear of some kind, not always rational, but very human.
Examining that unburdening myself of those suppressed emotions gave me more energy and enthusiasm to make more practical change.
I suppose nurturing my soul first helped make my new lifestyle of slowness and simplicity actually happen.
It's not free of stressful moments, but it's far better than how I lived before.
Perhaps, when thinking of the new year, you don't know what you want to do with your life, where you want to go or what direction you wish to take.
You may be at a crossroads or facing unknowns.
The one thing that has guided me, and is still guiding me, through enormous life change is to be open to your inner world, to learn to question your fearful and unhelpful thoughts and allow the waters within to settle and clear, to ever so slowly reveal what it is you truly desire to do with the time you have.
I'm still figuring it out.
I have no idea how my life will look like next year, but I'm excited to slowly find my way.
I have been working on these gingerbread ornaments for a while now and I did discover that I absolutely got the wrong type of icing.
The ingredients to make the icing were so expensive at the grocery store that I just couldn't rationalize buying it for just a little ornament project.
And I should've, I should've, because this icing is not quite doing it for me.
However, I thought to make it more fun, I would just bring it over to a friend's house or family and we could finish decorating them together and not worry too much about perfection, which you know why is it important?
Honestly, it's a christmas decoration, so it's just about having fun.
I think it's been a little while since i've seen you.
Thank you so much for being here.
I am still adjusting to a new pace of life with all these huge changes.
I'm having doctor's appointments fairly regularly about two hours away.
So sometimes it's a full day trip, sometimes two day trip, depending on what needs to happen.
It is also holiday season.
And for someone who works in customer service, there's a lot to be said there too.
If you know, you know.
It can be chaotic to say the least.
I'm doing my best to slow down and enjoy this beautiful first snow we have.
It just looks like one of those Thomas Kinkade paintings where it's just everything looks so cozy and so laden with this heavy blanket of snow.
Temperatures are going to warm up and it's going to get really rainy soon.
So I'm really enjoying the pristine beauty while it lasts.
I'm wishing you the very best for all the new things happening in your life next year or whatever you're looking forward to.
Or if you were just wanting to expand and grow.
It's been very good for me as well to embrace a season of acceptance of circumstances and making changes that are also realistic and practical and sustainable for you.
Something else has been that I've had to enter this new era of huge acceptance in regards to work.
YouTube is a place that I think very much rewards creators when they upload often and consistently and are very exciting.
And currently I'm not really able to achieve any of those things.
And I certainly knew there would be consequences related to that.
And I think it's been actually a super positive thing for me to accept that everything changes in time.
You can't live expecting anything to stay the same for too long.
You need to always have your heart open to the positive things that can come from change, as well as the challenges, and that has been so important for me lately.
I think i'm going to take these gingerbread ornaments to a friend's home and i will hopefully be able to enjoy a little bit more of the snow before the rain sets in.
So I'm sending you all so much love.
Please leave your advice below on how you enjoy the winter season.
I know not all of you are somewhere where you have a winter season right now.
I'm just sending you the best festive well wishes for this upcoming new year.
Sending you so, so much love.
Goodbye.
