We’ve entered the sweet spot between first and second winter (midwest kids know what I mean) and it has me itching for spring.
My husband and I went on a run a couple of weeks ago and we started talking about the seasons. For several years, we didn’t have the blessing of traditional midwest seasons (we had the blessing of southern California, which was great in its own right), and during that time I grew to love spring because it came before the dry season when everything would be brown and dead and dry.
Back then, it felt like a reward for making it through months of overcast skies and I had a newfound appreciation for the brevity of spring. The smells, the rain, confusing temperatures, and getting the itch to spend time planting new things on our patio. I loved it all.
Since then, I look forward to it every year.
So even though it’s a little too cold to officially plant outside in the garden, I’ve added some new houseplants to the mix and the feeling of soil between my fingers and under my nails still brings me immense joy.
A Sprinkle of Life Lately
This winter has been a new kind of challenge since being self-employed. I’ve dealt with seasonal depression in the past, but it felt different this year. While I didn’t feel like my well was constantly empty, at times I felt like I didn’t exist because I spent so much time by myself.
That being said, I feel like I’ve made it through and these are the things that have been bringing me joy:
- Cold brew has become my newest love. I’m a little bit sensitive to acidity, so I’ve been loving this alternative to traditionally brewed coffee. I started making it myself and the ritual of it has been calming. And who doesn’t love the smell of coffee grounds?
- Oats and berries for breakfast. So simple yet so cozy and satiating. I have a tendency to forget meals I’ve loved so putting this here so that I remember lol
- Sierra training for a half marathon was on no one’s 2024 bingo card and I might have been influenced by social media to sign up, but I’m so glad I did. The race is still a couple of months away, but it’s been a great reminder that I can do hard things and that being consistent really does make a difference.
- Creative writing has re-entered my life and we are grateful. Trying to move stories from brain to paper is something I find incredibly challenging, yet so rewarding. I really want this to be the year I finish writing a book – even if it’s just the first draft.
Anyways, that’s life. Hope you’re finding your own joy-inducing things 🙂
-Sierra
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