The Hidden Lesson the Winter Is Trying to Teach Us

The Winter Challenge

The wintertime presents many tests that can challenge us for months on end. Unpredictable weather, cold temperatures, and a multitude of discomforts. 

And this winter has been no exception to these themes.

A warm-ish day here… 18 inches of snow followed by shoveling the car for a few hours there…

But with each trial and tribulation the winter brings, a potential opportunity for growth arises. If this winter has taught us one thing, it’s the value of flexibility.

However, flexibility is not always our strong suit. To keep all the wheels turning, precise daily structures and exact routines can often feel crucial.  

And the truth is, you’re not totally wrong

To keep a household functioning and life moving in the right direction, some level of rigidity and structure is essential. We march to the beat of the ticks on a clock.

7am: get the kids to school

8am: get ready for work

12pm: check in with Shabbos guests to see who’s coming

The list goes on…

However, the uncertainty of winter also presents us with the other side of this coin. The same routines that aid us in feeling secure, can lead to stress and other anxieties when we get too caught up in them. When a wrench is thrown into our plans, everything can feel like it falls apart. Our routines end up constricting us, rather than serving us.

Because as valuable as having routines are to facilitate productivity and peace of mind, the winter forces us to recognize a simple truth.

Sometimes we have to learn to let go of control.

The Winter Forces Flexibility

There’s nothing like an incoming blizzard to make us realize that our plans are not always fool proof. Sunday football turns into Sunday snow shoveling.

Yet despite how much we may need it, flexibility is really hard to actually engrain into our lives.

For many of us, flexibility can be synonymous with stress, anxietyGlossaryAnxietyA group of mental health conditions characterized by excessive fear, worry, and related behavioral disturbances. Includes generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and specific phobias., and even panicGlossaryPanicAn anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent, unexpected panic attacks and persistent concern about having additional attacks or their consequences.. We feel that if we don’t have the next 17 steps planned, our whole life is going to come crumbling down.

The Truth of the Matter

The strange reality is, holding ourselves to perfect standards can work against us more than it helps us. Relaxing into “taking things one step at a time” and “being able to go with the flow” can be a superpower when the situation calls for it. 

When we allow ourselves to be flexible and remain calm despite shifting plans, we send healthy messages to both our internal and external environments. Our internal environment shifts as we teach ourselves that it is acceptable to not hold onto complete control in every situation. Similarly, our external environment changes as we show those around us that it is alright when things don’t go 100% according to plan.

As we navigate the colder months, it’s important to give ourselves permission to release our grip just a little bit. Acknowledging the comfort that comes with feeling in complete control is the first step.  While embracing the discomfort of uncertainty is a great follow up. 

By doing so, we can help ourselves and our loved ones to become happier, mentally healthier, and more resilient when our plans change.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.