Moving With the Seasons: A Rhythmic Approach to Work, Rest, and Renewal

I spent most of this past winter trying to force something that wouldn’t come.

In theory, I had everything I needed: time, space, intention. I sat down to design a new coaching program—something that I was super excited about, that felt fresh, aligned, and meaningful. But no matter how many journaling prompts I attempted, how many brainstorming sessions I had with myself, or how much time I blocked out on my calendar for creating… I could not find my mojo. 

The ideas were great, but never left my head. The clarity wasn’t there. My brain and body felt foggy, heavy, and tired.

Honestly, all I wanted to do was cook, rest, spend time with friends and dogs and watch movies.

I started asking myself “What is going on with you?”, “Is this really something you want to do?” , “ Why is it so hard to get moving? “, ” or “If I can’t make this work now, when will I?”

But somewhere underneath the pressure and doubt, my inner voice was telling me it was something else. It was the time of year…I was trying to create and innovate in the season that is meant for inaction & restoration. 

Winter is for Rest, Not Reinvention

We forget, sometimes, that we are seasonal beings. That we’re not meant to be in full bloom all year long.

Nature doesn’t produce nonstop. Trees don’t bear fruit in January. The earth slows down, withdraws, rests. But somewhere along the way, many of us learned to override our internal rhythms in favor of productivity at all costs. I definitely did.

And yet—despite all my pushing—my body and brain were still operating in winter mode. Craving stillness. Longing for reflection, not creation. What I really needed was rest, not reinvention. But I was trying to force a springtime energy into a winter container.

The Permission We Rarely Give Ourselves

Rest is easy to fantasize about, but harder to actually give ourselves. Especially when the world keeps spinning fast. When our to-do lists don’t shrink. When our self-worth is still (quietly) tied to how much we’re accomplishing, producing…how “busy” we are.

But real rest isn’t just sleep or a break between tasks. It’s deep permission. Permission to pause because you can, without guilt or shame.

To listen when your body says “slow down.”

To not be “on” just because other people are or because you think you “should be”.

This winter, my body was whispering things I didn’t want to hear: “You’re tired.”, “You’re not in the right headspace.”, “This isn’t the time to create something new.”, “The creativity will come…after you rest first.”

At first, I resisted. I told myself, “I NEEDED to do this NOW….I was already behind.”

After several more failed attempts at rebooting, I listened and surrendered. This will have to wait until Spring when it will be effortless to access my creativity. I gave myself permission to go back to cooking, resting and watching movies. 

Being in tune with the seasons isn’t just about the weather—it’s about listening and responding in kind to what your body naturally wants to do in this season of your life.

Spring Came, and So Did the Clarity

Now, here we are. The sun’s rising earlier, the air feels lighter, windows & doors are open and as I suspected, it’s just easier, requires less effort to create, innovate…it’s a pull, rather than a push. 

The program that felt like an impossible struggle in December suddenly feels exciting and. Effortless. I’m writing, planning, creating—all with a sense of momentum I couldn’t have manufactured a few months ago. It’s not magic. It’s alignment.

The season changed, and so did my energy level, my brain power and my ability to focus and be productive.

What If You Let It Be Easier?

If you’ve been in a fog… if your ideas aren’t coming together… if your motivation has gone missing… maybe the question isn’t “What’s wrong with me?”

Maybe it’s “What is my body telling me it needs right now & what season am I in?”

You are allowed to ebb and flow. You’re allowed to pause. You’re allowed to rest without having to earn it.

Because when you begin to honor your body’s wisdom—when you stop fighting your rhythm and start trusting it—everything starts to open up.

Not because you pushed harder… but because you gave yourself permission to pause, listen & respond in alignment.