January Joys & Lessons from Winter
Embracing cozy rituals and slow living to start the year with intention.
Hello, my friend – welcome to the very first Pause of 2025! Pour your favourite cozy drink, settle into a comfy spot, and gift yourself a moment to breathe, reflect, and pause with me.
The buzz of the “new year new me” is starting to simmer down (about f*cking time) and as gyms return to their average numbers and many folks forget about their resolutions and shove them under the rug, I continue to move at a slow, comfortable pace, inspired by the energies of winter: a season of stillness, introspection, and grounding.
The Energy of Winter
In Ayurveda, winter aligns with the Kapha dosha, which brings a heavy, slow, and nurturing energy. It’s a time to embrace warmth, comfort, and routines that soothe your body, mind, and energy.
If you ask me, it’s not about Blue Monday, it’s just the Kapha season.
So, I wonder: instead of pushing against this natural rhythm and striving to transform into the "best version" of yourself within the next 30 days, what if you leaned into gentleness? What if you gave yourself permission to move with intention and rest with purpose?
This slower pace is also an invitation to reflect on what nourishes you. What practices, hobbies, or connections make you feel most alive? Ayurveda teaches us that living in harmony with the seasons helps us stay in balance.
So, as you embrace the stillness of winter, let’s explore some ways to bring warmth, light, and intention into these colder days.
Bring More of What You Love into Your Life
What brings you joy and fills your heart?
This is one of my favourite questions to ask—not “How are you?” or “What do you do for a living?”—but “What lights you up?” It’s also a question I ask myself often.
Why? Because when I feel stuck, bored, or overwhelmed, it’s easy to slip into habits that drain my energy, like doomscrolling, biting my nails (which, today I learned is called Onychophagia), or binge-watching a show that isn’t even worth my time.
Instead, having a go-to list of activities that genuinely nourish me, helps me reclaim my time and energy.
✍🏾Exercise: Make a list of cozy, screen-free activities you can turn to when you need a reset.
Here are some ideas if you need a little inspiration:
Reading: Dive into a novel you’ve been meaning to read or revisit an old favourite. It’s a wonderful way to reduce stress, spark your imagination, and escape into another world. This is my current read.
Journaling: Write freely about your thoughts, dreams, or even what you’re grateful for. Writing by hand activates multiple brain regions, improving memory, focus, and emotional processing while fostering a deeper mind-body connection. Check out my new ASMR track to accompany you.
Cooking or Baking: Try a new recipe, make your favourite dish, or bake something that fills your space with the smell of comfort.
Crafting: Knit, crochet, paint, draw or try a new DIY project—anything that lets your hands work while your mind unwinds boosts dopamine levels and enhances neural connections.
Playing an instrument: I started learning to play the ukulele three or four years ago, and I practice it weekly. Playing an instrument engages multiple areas of the brain simultaneously, improving memory, coordination, and focus.
Going Outside: Bundle up and take a mindful stroll, whether in nature or the city. Let yourself notice the small details—the crisp air, the sounds; life happening around you.
Listening to Music: Find or create a cozy playlist and let it set the tone for a relaxing time. Here is my latest playlist.
Playing Board Games or Puzzles: Engage your mind with something tactile and interactive, by yourself or with others.
Spending time with people you love: Connecting with those who see you, hear you, and bring you joy nurtures your emotional well-being, strengthens relationships, and releases oxytocin—the “love hormone”.
Practicing Gentle Movement: Whether it’s yoga, tai chi, or simple stretches, move your body in ways that feel nourishing and kind. If you’re looking for a practice to get you started, may I suggest this cozy yoga session:
Post your list somewhere visible, so it’s always an invitation to choose presence over distraction.
As we continue to move through winter, take this opportunity to honour what lights you up, what brings you comfort, and what helps you stay grounded.
Whether it’s journaling, walking in the crisp air, or curling up with a good book, these small, meaningful actions can ripple outward, creating a life filled with warmth and joy, even when shit feels heavy.
Thank you for pausing with me today.
I’d love to hear how you’re embracing this season—feel free to share your list of cozy activities or your reflections in the comments, you never know who you could help or inspire in the community!
Here’s to slowing down, savouring the little things, and living in harmony with what truly nourishes you.
Until we meet again, pause often, breathe deeply, and be kind - especially to yourself.
Much love,
Laia
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Thank you, thank you! This week I started polling people with the question “what do you love about January?”. January Joys 🥰