Casey Recommends: Doing something nice for Winter You
Truly the best self-care for the coming months
Three years ago TO THE DAY (whoa! didn’t realize that until I started writing this newsletter), I read something that’s truly improved the way I approach the coming months of cold weather.
This piece, titled “If You’re Already Dreading Winter, Here Are Some Small Ways to Prepare Now,” was obviously written with the pandemic in mind. However, it’s the one question — “What small-ish things do I wish I had done in January 2020 that I can do some version of now?” that has stuck with me since that day.
Back in 2020, I took the question to heart and started making a list of what Winter Casey would want to keep herself in a decent emotional place in the coming months. I decided to:
invest in dumbbells and bands for an EMKFIT-worthy home gym
schedule standing monthly phone call dates with friends
and switch my personal meal planning system from Excel to Notion. Hey, that was a great idea!
And now, every year at the autumnal equinox, I ask myself, “what is Winter Casey going to need?”
This is why I now have a daily wind-down ritual, like playing ukulele or going downstairs to put on a physical record, to get myself off the computer and shift my brain out of work mode.
(This works in all seasons, to be sure, but I instituted it as part of this query.)
It’s also why I always make sure to have a few quality candles to burn at my desk during dreary afternoons and during my evening cat couch time.
So I’m exhorting you to stop and think about what Winter You might need to make your Winter Months better and happier.
It doesn’t have to be a pricey investment — in fact, it can be an experience or a habit shift that costs nothing at all but your time and attention.
Maybe you need:
actual decent sheet pans or oven gloves so you can make better comfort food without burning yourself
a weekly scheduled time to start clearing clutter out of the guest room (AKA the junk room) and donate what you don’t want
or to give yourself permission to sleep in and not set an alarm just one day a week. Say it out loud! Actually tell yourself you have permission to do this!
I could keep spitballing. But if you need some help organizing your thoughts and putting a plan into action, why not schedule a Creative Strategy Session with me?
Seriously, think about what Winter You wants right now. It’ll be the best gift to yourself before December even rolls around.
Oh! One more thing!
Because for some reason, I didn’t collect a lot of fun linky stuff this month, I’m giving you one truly awesome story instead of a bunch of snippets.
Herewith: a wonderful tale about the new home for retired New York City playground animals. I can’t wait to go visit them.