December 21st is the official start of winter with Winter Solstice signifying the beginning. I may not love the weather that comes with it, but I do enjoy the cozy ways of living during the winter. I like to use the winter season as a time to reflect on the year and take extra time to care for myself. I actually stumbled upon an article written by CBC that talks about the importance of the winter season for Indigenous Peoples. The content of the article really resonated with me and so for my November Resolutions I am creating goals based off of the suggested practices for the winter season.

  1. Practice Mindfulness and Caring for Mental Health: With the shorter, darker days, Winter can be a challenging time. Many people suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder and so with that it is especially important to care for yourself in this season. This month I want to make an effort to practice mindfulness and gratitude, I have a journal called “The Five Minute Journal” and at the beginning and end of your day you write three things your grateful for, three things that would make today and a daily affirmation. At the end of the day you write three highlights from the day and what you learnt. I used to use this book a lot and stopped writing in it a couple years back. My goal is to try using this book again every day and at the end of the month I want to see how it has impacted me, if any!
  2. Learn a New Skill: I love candles, and I spend so much money on buying new candles because I burn through them like crazy! For December I want to learn how to make my own candles! I’m really excited for this one because with Christmas coming up it will make great gifts for my friends and family (if all goes well haha!).
  3. Make Soups: Soups in the winter are a staple, and I would love to learn how to make more soups! This will help with my previous goal of proper nutrition as well as I can easily freeze or meal prep soups that I can grab and heat up quickly. A soup i’m interested in making is the “Three Sisters Soup” which uses corn, beans, and squash, three foods that are a staple in Indigenous diets and carry medicinal and cultural teaching properties.