now is the time to winter well, not to plan big change… here’s why
Every January, we’re told it’s time for a fresh start. New goals. New habits. A “new you.”
But for many of us, January doesn’t feel energising or hopeful — it feels heavy, slow, and exhausting.
What if January isn’t a failure of motivation, but simply the wrong season for big goal-setting?
The problem with January goal-setting
January arrives in the middle of winter, when our bodies and minds are naturally operating at lower energy. Just like nature.
Shorter days and reduced sunlight can affect sleep, concentration, and mood. Cold weather encourages staying indoors and resting more. After the intensity of the holidays — social demands, disrupted routines, emotional highs and lows — many people are still recovering rather than ready to “level up.”
Yet goal culture doesn’t account for this. It asks us to push forward when we may actually need to pause, reflect and reconnect.
Setting ambitious goals during a time of fatigue often leads to:
Unrealistic expectations
Feeling behind before the year has truly begun
Guilt or self-criticism when motivation drops or goals aren’t reached.
When goals fall apart, we tend to blame ourselves instead of the timing.
Winter is not a failure — it’s a season
In nature, winter isn’t a time of growth. It’s a time of dormancy, conservation, and protection. Trees don’t bloom year-round, and neither do people.
Seeing winter as a season of maintenance rather than transformation can be deeply supportive of wellbeing. Instead of asking, “How can I improve myself?” winter invites us to ask, “What do I need to get through this time gently?”. It’s a great opportunity for reflection.
Shifting from goals to intentions
Rather than rigid goals, winter is better suited to intentions — soft guides instead of strict rules.
Examples might include:
Intending to protect your energy
Intending to keep life manageable
Intending to be kinder to yourself
Intentions allow flexibility. They meet you where you are instead of demanding constant progress.
Supporting wellbeing during the winter months
Promoting wellbeing in winter doesn’t mean doing more. It often means doing less, but more intentionally.
Small, grounding practices can make a big difference:
Getting outside briefly during daylight hours
Maintaining a consistent sleep routine - early to bed rather than long lay-ins
Eating well, regularly and staying hydrated
Creating moments of comfort — warm drinks, quiet time, familiar routines
These aren’t productivity hacks. They’re acts of self care.
Equally important is allowing rest without guilt. Slower days, lower motivation, and needing more sleep are not personal flaws — they’re natural winter responses.
Use winter for reflection, not reinvention
If winter has a purpose, it’s reflection.
This is a good time to:
Notice what drained you last year
Acknowledge what you survived
Let go of habits or expectations that no longer serve you
You don’t need a five-year plan in January. You just need honesty and compassion.
Save growth for spring
As the days get longer, energy naturally returns. Motivation often follows light, warmth, and movement. Spring is a far more realistic season for big goals, new habits, and personal expansion.
By resting now, you’re not falling behind — you’re preparing.
A kinder way forward
January doesn’t have to be about becoming someone new. It can be about staying afloat, staying human, and staying well.
Wellbeing in winter comes from listening inward, lowering pressure, and remembering that growth doesn’t happen all at once — or all year long.
Sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do is allow yourself to winter.