Beautiful black woman, in the falling snow, in red winter coat with fur hood

Wintering Through Life: Planning, Pausing, and Unexpected Growth

Unless you’re lollygagging somewhere tropical and smug (you know who you are!), we – the rest of us are still wintering.

The snow that got dumped on us these past weeks is still here. Move, Bitch, get out the way!

Beautiful black woman, in the falling snow, in white winter coat with fur hood, and face covering.

Winter Is Still Winning

So I cannot lull myself into letting one semi-decent, sunny day trick me into a fake emotional spring after ice-gate. Sure, the sun popped out a little longer than five minutes. High enough to shine but not heat anything up, so relax people, put your big coat back by the hook by the door, and humble yourself. That was just a teaser trailer of things to come, and hopefully soon. Pretty please, but February is still very much showing up and showing out with it’s full-length psychological drama and no skips.

icy steps, dangerous but beautiful

I was even grateful for the steady rain on Sunday, trying at least to wash away some of the stacked-high piles of yucky snow that turned to ice in no time. Then with every passing night we awoke to a new fresh hell of these mini-ice rinks on walkways, driveways, and roads. Damn near ready to take you out, unless you roll with a pair of skates and knew how to use them – and guess what I don’t and didn’t. My ankles weren’t meant to bend that way… that many times!

But I’ll admit something.

Even while we’re clearly still stuck in the thick of winter that little change of weather made me feel and think that tiniest of shifts were finally pulling me somewhere else. Not all the way there yet. But inching.


And now that Valentine’s Day has packed up and gone, I truly hope you all did a very big love on yourselves — even if you were also spoiled rotten by loved ones. ❤️ This maybe-fleeting but quiet mental shift toward a fresh start had me more energized than I realized.

Penguin sliding on ice.

Yes, yes, I know it’s all of February 15th. In a week or two, I’ll be back to screaming at the next batch of fluffy white confetti turds, tumbling from the skies, and poised to jack me up. Enough!

Small Shifts, New Nudges

For years, I’ve lived very conditionally through this season – more cold in London vs. snow in the US, but regardless, not warm. My mantra was: just endure it. Rush it through. Wait for spring, but really summer. Because real life begins when it’s warm again. When everything feels lighter. Easier. And coat-free.
So now what in the world is this feeling? Is this some new found optimism making a cautious appearance. Is this growth? Some new Big Age, thing?


I’ve been thinking about this (and other things) a lot while we’re still wintering. Still bundled up, moving a little slower, but internally planning.

Green budding plant piercing through snow in sunshine

Sit With It, See What Comes

This is too fresh and new, so I’m going to sit with it instead of overthinking it or trying to figure out what it might mean — if anything at all. I’m going to live through it, with it. I already know more snow is coming, its cousin ice too, and their stank bestie, a slicing, biting wind, all three doing the most to annoy the absolute shit out of me. But if a new shift comes along with it? I hope it’s a juicy good one! I can’t prepare for what I don’t know. Guess I’ll just pull up my big-girl knickers, see what shows up, and handle it accordingly.

If you’re wintering too, in life, not just the weather — sit with it. Move slowly, plan quietly, and watch for the nudges shaping your next, better chapter.

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