Winter hibernation + an update
It’s natural to rest.
Hi friends! This week’s post is going to be a little different. Let me explain.
After publishing Becoming 1% Better, I’ve tried to keep this Substack going in its original format with a single word as the guiding light for the theme of the week, but like all things, I feel that the content needs to evolve. We’ve covered a lot of subjects, and will continue to cover more, but in specific, nuanced ways.
I want this space to be as enriching for you as possible, because, as you know, I’m a big proponent of being respectful of people’s time since it’s a natural resource we never get back.
What’s changing
1. As mentioned, topics will be more specific, which will allow us all to explore them from narrow angles instead of broad themes.
2. I’m starting a paid tier. I realized that I’ve subconsciously had this belief that I should give away my writing, a fear that it wasn’t worth people paying for. And now I’m asking myself to be brave and move away from that, to trust that people want to support my voice because they find value in it. In this new tier, you’ll get:
Access to all of my non-fiction books before they’re published AND a free ebook once it’s live. I’ll publish 1-2 chapters every Wednesday, and once we’re close to the launch, you’ll get free workbooks and other resources that go with them.
The first book is called “Fake It ‘Til You Make It: The Science of Feeling Rich.” If you want to buy the book but not be in this tier, you can pre-order it here.
Links to unlisted YouTube meditations and musings that go with each week’s theme. I tried this before, but Substack’s platform made me post them separately, and it felt like I was spamming inboxes.
These will be available on my main YouTube page a month after they’ve been exclusive to members. This way, I’m able to monetize them, and people who can’t pay for this tier can still have access.
Otherwise, everything stays the same! You’ll get a newsletter every Sunday in your inbox.
I want to thank you in advance for your patience, ESPECIALLY my one paid member who has been a champion of my work in all forms for years (you know who you are!).
Oh, and last thing… my day job is a copywriter, and let me tell you, there’s even more AI slop out there than you think there is. I can promise you these newsletters and my books are always 100% written by me, and it takes hours and hours 😅 So if you want to support human-made content, I appreciate you!
Without further ado, here’s this week’s topic…
Winter hibernation
I am not a fan of winter. I feel like I’m constantly fighting the clock, trying to make time to get out and move around before the sun dips below the horizon. The darkness makes me sleepy and a little disoriented. I just feel… bleh.
But that’s kinda the point.
When you think of animals and plants, they all go into hibernation mode in winter. They rest, gathering energy to do the growing that will happen in spring and summer, so that a healthy harvest can happen in Autumn.
For some reason, humans do the opposite.
We push ourselves during the holidays, the dead of winter. No wonder everyone gets sick when everything in our environment is screaming to slow down! Then there’s New Year’s Resolutions, where we all decide to be the best version of ourselves, to go harder, to get more done… still in the middle of winter. While everything else in nature is quietly resting, growing stronger, we are depleting our energy.
Why? Because traditions say we have to? That seems like a silly reason, doesn’t it?
As I’ve written before, a couple of years ago, my Aunt Lora sent me a social media post explaining this concept of resting like nature does, but at the time I couldn’t do it. I just kept pushing harder than ever because there was so much to get done before the end of the year. So much to write, so much to make.
But this year, once Thanksgiving hit, I effectively signed off. I knew my brain needed a break, and you can’t pour from an empty cup. And you know what? I sprouted a few ideas for new ways to share my art. I had the space to decide all of the things I mentioned in my earlier update, and I even wrote half a book, leisurely and without stress. Once I stopped forcing, it was like the floodgates of fully aligned ideas came pouring in.
The other major, ancient calendars, like the Chinese Lunar and Zodiac calendars, start in the spring, but the Gregorian calendar? It completely disharmonizes us from our connection with the natural rhythms of spring.
Today is the halfway point between the deepest point of winter and the spring equinox. That means it’s still time to rest. If something feels like it takes a lot of effort, don’t do it. Your body, mind, and spirit are encouraging you to rest. But if you’ve had seedlings of ideas and it feels exciting to work on them, gently pull that thread. This is the time of year when the ground starts to thaw, and the plants start stirring; not waking, just stirring.
What’s stirring inside you? Can you protect it with just a little more rest until it’s naturally ready to grow and thrive? Honestly, the stirring might even be that you still need more rest, that you did too much in winter and you need to recoup your energy.
Your body will let you know what you need. Now is the time to sit quietly and listen.
With gratitude,
Natalie
