By this point in the year, many leaders tell me the same thing:
Everything feels heavier.
The days are short. The light is limited. The term is long. And the energy it takes just to keep showing up can feel disproportionate to what’s actually happening on the surface.
When that happens, it’s very easy to turn the pressure inward.
To question your resilience.
Your patience.
Your capacity.
To wonder why you don’t feel more on top of things.
But what if this isn’t something to fix?
What if the way you feel right now is a completely natural response to the season you’re in?
We are seasonal creatures, whether modern life acknowledges that or not. Everything in nature follows a rhythm of expansion and contraction. The trees are bare. The ground is quiet. Energy is being conserved, not wasted. Growth hasn’t stopped – it’s just happening out of sight.
And we’re no different.
Winter changes us – biologically, not just psychologically. Shorter days and lower light levels affect mood, motivation and focus. Our nervous systems are more easily tipped into tiredness, irritability or low-level vigilance.
None of this means something is wrong.
It means your system is responding exactly as it was designed to.
Winter isn’t a problem to overcome – it’s a rhythm to recognise
So often, leaders tell me they feel they should be functioning the same way in January as they do in September. But expecting summer energy in the depths of winter is like expecting a tree to bloom in February.
This season asks for something different.
Not less commitment.
Not lower standards.
But a different relationship with energy.
Winter is a time for consolidation, reflection and quieter forms of strength. Not visible performance, but deep, steady resilience.
And that starts with resourcing yourself, not fixing yourself.
Resourcing isn’t indulgence. It’s how capacity is sustained.
In my work with leaders, I often describe wellbeing as a balance between challenges and resources. When challenges outweigh resources for too long, strain builds. Not because you’re failing, but because your system is under-resourced.
In winter, as challenges increase, many natural resources (light, warmth, energy) decrease. So unless we consciously add support, the balance tips.
Resourcing yourself at this time of year doesn’t need to be dramatic or time-consuming. It’s often about small, steady acts that support your nervous system and protect your energy.
That might look like:
- stepping outside for a few minutes of daylight, even on grey days
- allowing your evenings to be calmer and less productive
- choosing warmth, rest and nourishment over pushing through
- lowering the expectation that you need to be “on” all the time
These aren’t lifestyle upgrades.
They’re biological supports.
Quiet seasons still have purpose
One of the most helpful mindset shifts in winter is letting go of the idea that growth has to look obvious. This is a season for underground work: for reorientation, integration and subtle recalibration.
Not everything meaningful shows up as momentum.
Not everything valuable feels energising.
Sometimes winter’s work is simply staying steady.
Holding enough.
Resting when you can.
Trusting that something is being strengthened beneath the surface.
A few gentle questions to hold
You don’t need to answer these perfectly – just notice what comes up.
- Where am I expecting more from myself than this season realistically allows?
- What would resourcing myself a little more actually look like right now?
- What helps me feel even slightly steadier when things feel heavy?
Winter doesn’t ask you to become less.
It asks you to move differently.
And if things feel slower, heavier or more effortful right now, that doesn’t mean you’re struggling.
It means you’re human.
Living in the winter season.
Responding wisely to the rhythm of nature.
Growth is still happening.
Even if you can’t see it yet.
