Spiritually and physically, winter is supposed to be a sacred time—going inward to get clear on what really matters, so come spring, your energy goes towards meaningful blooms.
It sounds beautiful, right?
But here’s what it actually feels like on the human level: bone tired. Unmotivated. Just not yourself.
When Ice Cream Becomes Permission
The other night, I made a healthy dinner for my family. After taking a couple of bites, I thought, “Nope, not for me, not tonight.” Instead, I ended up eating ice cream and oatmeal.
My son’s eyes instantly lit up. And then—mine did too.
It was permission. Permission to not follow the rules. To listen to what was needed in that moment, even when it went against the norm. Permission to not be my typical self.
The Ego’s Interrogation vs. Sacred Witnessing
I could feel my ego wanting to jump in with its usual interrogation:
- What’s wrong with me?
- Why am I so unmotivated?
- Am I depressed?
- Why can’t I just be productive like I’m supposed to be?
But instead of partaking in that spiral, I chose to witness it. And that’s when I felt the real difference—the gift in not being my old self and the power in honoring that shift.
Because here’s what was actually happening: something sacred was unfolding beneath the surface.
The Gift of Your “Unproductive” Days
What if your tired, unmotivated, “off” days aren’t evidence that something’s wrong with you?
What if they’re evidence of profound energetic shifts happening beneath your awareness?
What if the very moments your ego wants to label as wrong, lazy, or proof that you’re not enough are actually invitations into your own transformation?
When I honored my need to take yet another walk in nature instead of being productive, when I gave myself permission to eat ice cream for dinner, I wasn’t giving up. I was surrendering to what was real for me in that moment.
Surrender isn’t giving up. Surrender is your way IN to transformation.
The Evolution of You
There’s a power you’re gaining right now, whether you realize it or not. As the old self unravels, as old stories and ways of reacting fade away, you become freer, more open, more expressive as the real you.
This is your time to know and love yourself exactly as you are and celebrate who you are throughout the mystery of your life’s unfolding.
This is your invitation to stop resisting your truth, even and perhaps especially, when it goes against your own norms. This is how you give yourself permission to usher in change into your life. You are allowing yourself to feel more and more free to honor your truth, love yourself for it, and the power to choose what is right for you in any given moment.