After all the hype of new year new me, start this, do that, goal setting, back to work, go go go messaging that bombards us come the turn of a new traditional year, it’s no wonder we can feel ourselves already unravelling by the time February rolls around.

I’ve been there myself, and I know how depleting it is. Until a few years ago, I really struggled with winter. Every January I’d get sick and be riddled with anxiety from the pressure of the external world, and society’s insistence on productivity and output over rest and introspection. But, living with more awareness of nature’s rhythms, and living in greater congruence with them has made all the difference.

You see, the truth is, we’re just not built to function in a productive, busy, firing on all cylinders way in the winter. We are of nature, and right now there’s just not a lot going on with her on the surface. She’s turned inwards, focusing on herself, receiving rich nourishment from the deep soil, resting, and topping up her inner reserves ready to begin to blossom again come spring.

The trees, plants and wildlife are resting and it’s an invitation for us to rest too. I actually love and appreciate winter now for the unique gifts it offers as a season, and so as an antidote to all the noise out there, my intention here is to share a different, gentler approach to life this winter to sustain and support you over the cold, dark months through the Art of Wintering.

I’m talking here about Wintering as a verb. A gentle practice, which to me means surrendering to the elements and energy of nature’s season of winter through acts of self care. Wintering is nature’s permission slip to slow right down, fill up our inner reserves and take time for deep rest. There is a season for everything, and winter is the home for surrender, reflection, visioning and gentle preparation for the seasons to come. Let’s all take a collective exhale here and give one another the grace to just be for a while, before gathering to rise rooted and well rested in the spring.

Winter can get a bad rap - cold days and nights, dark mornings, 4pm sunsets, de-icing your car, or freezing on the platform waiting for your train, or at the bus stop on your daily commute. I get it, not fun. But what if I told you there is a way you can not only survive but thrive during the winter. It has so much more to offer than the annoyances and grievances we tend to associate with the season.

There are joys to be found - yes really!

Think coming home with rosy cheeks feeling invigorated from the fresh air, and cradling a warm cuppa after a walk in the park. Gazing at the moon and stars on a clear, crisp night, lighting a candle and snuggling up in cosy socks and a warm blanket with a good book.

You get to choose how you winter. By intentionally and consciously dedicating more space and time to your inner world, it’s the perfect opportunity to get curious about what you love to do, how you want to express yourself, and do the things that warm the cockles of your heart.

I’ve learnt to make friends with winter through the practice of wintering. I now consider winter to be a wise companion. Much like a trusted older friend or grandparent, who’s seen so much of life that you have yet to experience. They who have an abundance of stories full of gold, if only you take the time to sit down with them and listen.

Spend some time in your own company and get to know this version of you, now at this time, during this season of the year and of your life. Be curious about what you like and don’t like, find out what your passions and quirks are. We all have them, buried deep inside of us…winter gives us the time and space to discover them. For example, on a freezing cold day, wrap up warm and go to an art gallery or museum alone with no pressure for any particular outcome - just enjoy your own company and be present for yourself, there’s no need to perform for anyone else. You’ll be cosy and hopefully find some winter joy from the experience…there’s usually a cute coffee shop at these places too, and a visit to the gift shop for a small gift to yourself is a must!

How To…The Art Of Wintering:

* Look for the light and colour your days: Get some natural daylight on your eyes first thing in the morning. I like to savour my morning cuppa looking out of the window at the trees to boost my mood. Play with Dopamine Dressing and adorn yourself with colour and clothes that evoke joy…you’ll give yourself and others around you a boost on a freezing winter’s day!

* Gentle movement: You’ll never rouse me from my bed to join the 5am club to go for a run at the height of summer, never mind in the depths of winter. (If that’s your bag I take my hat off to you) But for those of us who want to shake off the sensation of stagnation that can set in at this time of year a little more gently, a slow and juicy yoga or pilates class at home, or your local studio if you prefer some company, is a nourishing way to start or end your day.

* Get enough sleep: I cannot recommend this simplest of practices enough to you, especially at this time of year. Make the most of the darker evenings by going to bed earlier, read a physical book (no screens!) or listen to a Yoga Nidra. Bonus points for rubbing magnesium balm onto your feet, or using an aromatherapy pillow spray before lights out for a sweet slumber.

* Conscious Communication: Choose who you really want to spend your time with as you Winter. You may have less energy, tolerance and resilience for being around too many people, or people who drain you. This is ok. Seek out the radiators in your life, you know, those people who give you a warm glow inside when you’re with them. To take the pressure off big social events, try socialising with ease instead. For example, wrap up warm and meet a friend for a take away coffee and a walk around the park, or share a feast of hearty, nourishing foods by candlelight, safe and sound around the table with loved ones at home.

* Feed yourself well: Talking of feasts…warming and nourishing is the way to go when Wintering. If you can, eat what’s in season and enjoy strolling around the farmer’s market, or find a veg box delivery service near you to cook up a seasonal sensation. Get your recipe books out or look online for winter warmers like soups, traybakes, casseroles, curries and make enough for leftovers - future you will thank you for it!

* Take a break from your phone & social media: Go on, I dare you! Experiment with being more present and using your time differently. Find out who you are and what you love to do offline.

* Creative Self -Expression: As you begin to feel more rested, you may feel the gentle nudge to reconnect with your creativity. Play with reading, cooking, writing, painting, drawing, hiking, curating your home, collage or vision board for the year ahead. Think of what you loved to do as a child and let them out to play!

* Joy of Journaling: Free flowing, uncensored stream of consciousness writing, setting gentle intentions, and reflecting are all wonderful ways to take care of your mind and body in winter. By getting our words out of our bodies and onto the page we get to know our inner most hopes, desires, dreams. It can also bring our attention to what’s been holding us back and keeping us stuck, so that we can sit with it, process it, and release it instead of carrying it with us into spring.

* Stop and Rest: Literally do nothing. Sit on your yoga mat and stare into space for five minutes. Look out the window at the wildlife. Lie down and take a nap with zero guilt or shame.

* Create a Cocoon: Summon the senses to create a comforting cocoon. Light your favourite candle, use lamps or fairy lights, play some soft music or savour silence. Take a warm bath, give yourself a massage with a gorgeous body oil. Wear cosy socks and wrap yourself in a soft blanket.

As always, I love hearing from you, so if you try any of these ideas, do come and share your thoughts and Wintering experiences with me and your lovely fellow readers here.

Wishing you a Wintering wrapped up in warmth and wellbeing, friends.

Love,

Angharad x

P.S. *A date for your diary* - Cosy Readers Book Club is back on Monday 26th January at 7pm. Join us for a reading date and cosy book-ish chats - Free to all subscribers! 📚🧦

The Period Type is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

*A note to say that I muddle up Daunt Books Notting Hill and Holland Park in this piece - no editing here! So when I’m talking about my solo London book trip I’m talking about Daunt Books Holland Park 🤦🏻‍♀️

I’ve been lucky enough have a couple of solo trips to London this year, that were only a month or so apart and both involved bookshops or book events. I’m also easily confused - my apologies! Daunt Books Notting Hill is still definately a re-visit…hopefully on a less stormy day!

I’d also love to know…what’s on your bookshelf? What’s the story behind these books and what do they mean to you? Share your book stories in the comments 📚

Books I share in the episode:

Our Red Book - Intimate Conversations about Periods by Rachel Kauder Nalebuff

everything I know about, love by Dolly Alderton

Cosy Poems, chosen by Gaby Morgan

Soothe by Nahid de Belgeonne

Solo - How to Work Alone (and Not Lose Your Mind) by Rebecca Seal

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

The Joy of Wintering by Erin Niimi Longhurst

the little book of self-care by Suzy Reading

A Year of Nothing by Emma Gannon

Sabotage by Emma Gannon

Disconnected by Emma Gannon

The Multi - Hyphen Method by Emma Gannon

The Success Myth by Emma Gannon

Table For One by Emma Gannon

Olive by Emma Gannon

Ice Cream for Breakfast by Laura Jane Williams

Sister, Mother, Husband, Dog (etc) by Delia Ephron

Left on Tenth by Delia Ephron

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg

two weeks notice by Amy Porterfield

self-care for winter by Suzy Reading

One Pot One Portion by Eleanor Wilkinson

Real Healthy by Melissa Hemsley

My Hygge Home by Meik Wiking

WE NEED YOUR ART by AMIE McNee

The Biggar Picture: My Life in Rugby by Dan Biggar

I Haven’t Been Entirely Honest with You by Miranda Hart

Think Again by Jacqueline Wilson

Show Don’t Tell by Curtis Sittenfeld

Half Arse Human by Leena Norms

the healing cookbook by Gemma Ogston

The Odd Woman and the City by Vivian Gornick

Honeybee by Dawn O’Porter

Your One Wild and Precious Life by Dr Maureen Gaffney

The Period Type is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Let me know what if anything resonates with you! x

The Period Type is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

It's cycle day 24 here and the time of my cycle where I find myself preparing for my period in around four or five days time. I'm getting myself organised, wrapping things up and starting to tune out from the outside world. I'm getting ready. 

Being aware of when I'm likely to start bleeding means that it's less likely I'll be caught by surprise and allows me to make sure I'm prepared as much as possible to be able to welcome her (yes my period & cycle is a she for me) with open arms and a deep understanding that this is our time together to rest, nourish and replenish, instead of banging down the door to menstruation completely exhausted and frazzled. 

So I thought now would be a good time to share some of my period prep with you. Here's what I do during my mid to late pre-menstrual phase, so from around day 24 of my cycle:

* Check my diary to see what activities, meetings and appointments I have scheduled in for the the rest of the week and during my bleed. Then I ask myself whether these plans still feel good for me or if anything needs tweaking or re-arranging.

For example, an appointment with your dental hygienist may not seem so appealing to you right now (I'm not a fan of being poked and prodded around when bleeding) or maybe you decide that a cosy supper at home with a girlfriend is a much more pleasurable prospect than a group gathering at cocktail happy hour at a noisy bar right now.

This is ok. Say no where you need to, re-arrange for another time and enjoy the plans you choose to keep, staying present in your body as much as you can.

* Do a shop - This has been so helpful to be able to know I have good quality food in the house for period snacks. My go-to's are some gorgeous dates (I cover them in dark chocolate mixed with rose extract and decorate with edible petals on top) fancy chocolate cos it's nice to treat yourself when you're bleeding, homemade soups and sourdough, rose tea and hot chocolate or cacao.

* I like to make sure I'm stocked up on my favourite candles and bath salts to support my bleed too so ordering anything for delivery in time for my bleed is another must do for me, along with washing my favourite blanket to keep me warm. I love my bleed to be a sensory experience where possible and find comfort in the smells, textures and tastes I surround myself with.

* Batch cook nourishing meals - This is prep that can be done earlier in your cycle, say around ovulation when you may be feeling more 'doing' energy or the days leading up to bleeding as part of getting ready to bleed. It's best to eat nutrient rich and warming foods when your bleeding to encourage blood flow so think soups, stews, casseroles, curries, risottos, maybe a big lasagne if, like me you think carbs are life!

* Think of dishes and cuisines you love to eat and that make you feel nourished and well. Then, cook a big batch and freeze a couple of portions so that you have a variety of meals ready to defrost and tuck into when you're bleeding for minimum effort and maximum pleasure!

I'll share more period prep tips with you soon but thought these would be enough to get you going.

I also wanted to share with you a snippet from a previous newsletter not published here about how I’ve navigated a particularly busy week in the lead up to and during my bleed in the past. Yes, even menstrual cycle coaches have times where we simply cannot sync our cycle/bleed to what's going on in our lives! This is ok. There's no such thing as a perfect cycle or perfect period.

Menstrual Cycle Awareness is not about micro managing our cycles. It's about being aware of where we are in our cycle on any given day and doing the best that we can with the resources that we have available with no guilt, absolutely zero, never ever. 

This week I'll be coaching clients, hosting a workshop, attending a local networking event and attending a physio appointment. Not a typical week at this point in my cycle for me at all. Instead of pushing myself or feeling guilty (inner critic screaming - how did you let this happen woman?!) I choose to accept that this cycle the lead up to and first couple of days of my period will be different for me.  

It's this quiet inner knowing that I'll lean on to support me through until I can drop and rest. I won't be pushing myself to coach clients or facilitate a workshop in the same energy as I would if I were in a higher energy phase of my cycle. This doesn't mean I won't do my best, but maybe my best that day will be showing up in a slower, calmer, quieter energy instead of putting on a mask to power through the day.

It will feel different for me, it may feel different for clients and the women who attend my workshop. I'll still be showing up as me, just the woman who's honouring her bleed version of me. 

Showing yourself kindness, patience and love when you bleed is particularly powerful and that's what I hope you'll gift yourself when you find yourself bleeding on a busy schedule. Consider this your permission slip from me to do so. Then, when the blessed moment arrives where you can drop into your period cave, even if just for a half an hour bath or a quiet cuppa, take a deep breath, revel in these moments that are just for you and know that you have returned home to your body once more.

Here's some inspiration for your own period prep:

* I love this bath oil and salts for a treat when I'm bleeding

* These are delicious and where my inspiration for my date snack comes from

* This is one of my favourite period meals

I'd love to know if you give any of these a try when preparing for your next bleed, so don't be shy to hit reply on this email and share your period prep with me and our community here.

I hope you have a beautiful week and speak soon!

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