january: living seasonally

The new year is here, and I thought it might be a good practice for me to think about the ways that we live seasonally throughout the year – and share them here. I’m going to try to do this before the end of the month, so that, if anything resonates with your from my list, you can implement it the following month. We’ll see how it goes, but here are some ideas for your January nonetheless!

January is for fresh starts, but I am trying not to resolve to do ALL of the things this year (like usual). Pick a few small, manageable changes to focus on this month, hopefully get a few wins, and then go from there. Here are some practical tips for creating new habits. In addition to our own resolutions for the new year, here are some other rhythms that typically dictate our Januarys:

• We try to get outside for what we call “church before church hikes.” Church starts at 10:30ish, so we head to a local park and do a little over two mile hike before heading to church. We try to do these in the colder months and then typically slack off once it is warmer out, and we’re spending so much time outside anyway. There is something grounding about starting the week off together on one of our favorite trails.
• I love these practical tips from Cassie to beat those winter time blues.
• Part of living seasonally is embracing the various benefits of each season. One of my favorite parts of January and February are how we embrace the quiet during those months. We don’t plan as much (our house is much more conducive to hosting during the nicer weather months when we can send the children outside!), we go to bed earlier, and we read more books. By the time we’re getting a little bored, it’s time to get outside and begin prep for the season ahead, which we’re excited and rested up for.
• Prior to the Industrial Revolution (and even for a long-time afterward), most of us lived more agrarian lives. Even if you weren’t a farmer, you still likely lived more according to the seasons, especially prior to the advent of electricity. This meant that, during the fall and winter, as the sunlight creates shorter days, we all slept more. Grant and I find ourselves needing more sleep and subsequently going to bed earlier during the dark winter months. It is a very modern (in the grand scheme of human existence) phenomenon to have the same bedtime regardless of what the sunlight is doing. Use the quieter winter months to go to bed a bit earlier.
• Eat lots of soups and stews. Here is some inspiration for you if you need it.
• I’m also typically trying to get back to eating a little cleaner after the indulgences of the holiday season. I find that I need a little bit of a reset for my cravings in January, so here are my best tricks for getting back on track.
• We also begin daydreaming about the garden season ahead, researching seeds, planning out the garden, ordering trees and fruit stock. It’s like Christmas all over again for me!

How are you embracing January?