When the World Shrinks.

I’m not going to sugarcoat it — winter is hard for me. January especially. I stay home a lot because the roads are bad, and honestly, because my body doesn’t do great in this season. The dizziness, the anxiety, the SAD… it all feels louder when I’m inside so much.

And I get lonely.

That part is hard to admit, but it’s true. People don’t really want to go anywhere in the winter, and I don’t blame them. But when days go by and everything feels quiet, it can start to feel like I’m cut off from the rest of the world.

Some days I’m okay with that. Other days, it really hits.

I don’t have some perfect way of dealing with winter. I mostly just take it one day at a time. I try to listen to my body when it’s asking me to slow down — even though that’s not always easy. Some days I rest more. Some days I do less than I think I “should.” I’m still learning to let that be enough.

What helps a little is staying grounded in small, ordinary things. Warm food. Low lights in the evening. Familiar shows. Sitting quietly instead of filling every moment with noise. None of it fixes winter, but it makes it more bearable.

Writing helps too. Not because I have answers, but because it reminds me I’m still connected to something outside my own head. And maybe if you’re reading this and you feel stuck in winter too, this is a small way of being less alone together.

I keep reminding myself that this season doesn’t last forever. The light changes. The snow melts. Life opens back up again. I’ve been through enough winters to know that, even when it feels far away.

For now, I’m just here. Doing the best I can.

If you are too, I’m really glad you’re here.

Affirmation

This season will change. Until it does, I will meet myself with patience instead of pressure.