A commitment to a slower, more joyful autumn & winter
Plus ✨FREE✨ commitment contract to set your intentions & stay on track
Hello, I’m Jodie. A Yoga teacher & wellbeing creator/ writer. I write about life post burnout with themes of rest, healing, living slower, self discovery, Yoga & more. Please subscribe to support my work & to read more. You can also find me on YouTube and join the Winter Wellbeing Workshop in October…
The shift into the darker months is happening…
The knitwear is out of hibernation (aka, the box at the back of the wardrobe), the candles are being lit, I’m about a week away from putting my electric blanket back on the bed, and I’m fully committed to making the darker months feel restful, fulfilling and a joy.
For years I found this time of year a struggle, so I haven’t always felt this same sense of optimism for the change in seasons. I remember I used to count down the days till spring and feel pretty hopeless sat on the sofa most evenings, but, something shifted in quite a big way for me in 2021.
That first cold winter where covid restrictions were in place meant that I left the house to explore outdoor spaces more than ever. It gave me a completely new outlook on the seasons as I watched all of the changes happen around me and my home... I reconnected with nature, the cycles, and how magic can be found in months that I’d typically associate with gloom and feeling low in energy.
There’s positives and negatives to be found in most things in life, and it’s the exact same for the darker months of the year. Of-course I still have tough days, and feel a sense of knowing that the winter months do come with their challenges for me, but setting the intention and a commitment to find joy in the darkness is serving me well to keep my spirits lifted ~ and I’m inviting you to do the same…
A commitment to find joy in the darkness
So, in a bid to focus on the joyful aspects and lean into what can be a really healing period, I’m making a commitment to seek out the goodness and light in the darker months.
A commitment to myself to lean into rest, and find moments of magic in all of the wonders this season has to offer.
A commitment to still getting outside, to soak up the rare sunny days, to not save my favourite candles or nice knitwear for best.
A commitment to romanticising the process of cooking my favourite hearty meals (for me it’s stew and dumplings with warm crusty bread🤤, what’s yours), to listening to my needs to slow down and sleep more as the days get shorter.
A commitment to be present enough to watch the light disappear throughout autumn and slowly reappear again post Christmas.
A commitment to prioritising my wellbeing and showing up for exercise in a mindful way, to staying connected with friends and loved ones when it’s so easy to fully retreat indoors.
A commitment to noticing and focusing on the best in the seasons…
What parts of autumn and winter do you naturally embrace most? If you’re looking for more suggestions, Charlene from Haver & Sparrow wrote a beautiful post with autumn rituals recently!
The commitment contract
Ok, so you’ve probably read the subtitle and have been wondering what the contract thing is about 👀 hear me out…
A contract may seem extreme, but, the sense of formality really gives you a stronger commitment to your intention. They’re so heavily used for the serious moments in life, I thought why not make a contract to something magical that means a lot to me? An agreement I’m making with myself for something that really matters.
(edit: I want to stress this ISN’T a strict contract of having to make everything perfect, or always completely align to finding joy in every single moment… It’s more a declaration to yourself, a way to get your intentions down and sign them knowing you’re worthy of it).
The thing is, it’s actually quite a radical act to follow/ embrace the seasons and show up for yourself in this way. We’re encouraged to keep rushing and grinding through the darker months, whilst nature and nearly everything else around us retreats into hibernation to replenish.
It really does come back to that saying of nothing in nature blooms all year round ~ with ourselves fully embedded into that.
The contract is a mini declaration you’re making to yourself, it includes:
A section to summarise what a fulfilling autumn/ winter looks like for you
An area to list down your intentions for the next 4-6 months
A space to make your commitment & sign/ date it
I recommend putting this somewhere you’ll see it every day to remind yourself of the kind of autumn/ winter you’re signing up for!
Grab the commitment contract here:
Or, if you’d like to customise and make some tweaks, you can find the template here.
I had a fair bit of fun putting this together and filling it out, I hope you find it as useful a tool as I have ❤️ seeing it everyday is reminding me of my intention and just HOW beautiful these darker months can be…
Winter Wellbeing Workshop & Ceremony
Want to honour the darker months as a collective? I know a fair few of you have signed up, but just a reminder that I'm hosting a 90 minute online Winter Wellbeing Workshop/ Ceremony on the 24th of October. It will combine a grounding meditation, practical advice & guidance, time & support on how to set your own winter vision and a Yoga Nidra session to finish for deep restoration and relaxation.
It will be a time to celebrate the darker months, and learn how to go slower/ find joy in what can be a difficult time of year. You can book your spot here. I truly cannot wait to see you there!
Love & gratitude, Jodie x
If you found this post useful or have used the commitment contract and enjoyed it I would be so so grateful if you shared it or restacked it. It helps other people find the Slower Space community! Thank you.
Ah Jodie, I absolutely love this! And the commitment contract is SO good. I personally thrive in the colder months (I live in Florida so it's not actually that cold and dark here), but I know so many struggle and this will be SO helpful for them. Thank you for sharing!!
Love the commitment contract - it’s basically just setting intentions while also honouring our own word and taking our own advice. That way it may not sound as strict in case someone may feel that way.
What helps me with the seasonal shifts and slowing down is also candles. And craft. Seasonal craft collecting rose hips, colourful leaves. Making wreaths, oils. Drying the final herbs of the summer etc. Anything to physically engage with the changes for an embodied experience.