Winter: A Time of Rest

and Renewal

(w/ Guidebook) 

Darkness is Where Light Rests to Birth

In a world that often glorifies productivity and influence, winter offers us a natural invitation to slow down, go within, and honor our body’s rhythms. While modern culture pushes for endless creation and engagement, Chinese medicine teaches us that winter is a time for nourishment, rest, and deep restoration. It’s not a season for fasting energetically or emotionally—it’s a time to feed ourselves, body and soul, with what sustains us. 

Wild Woman Winter Guidebook 

Winter in Chinese Medicine: The Season of the Kidney and Water Element

 According to Chinese medicine, winter corresponds to the Water element and is associated with the Kidney system, which governs our life essence (Jing), vitality, and ability to endure. The energy of winter is about preservation and consolidation. The Kidney is seen as the foundation of our physical and energetic reserves.

Pushing ourselves too hard during this time—whether through work, social obligations, or maintaining influence—can lead to depletion of the Kidneys, resulting in fatigue, weakened immunity, and even long-term health consequences like adrenal burnout or emotional instability.

Just as nature retreats during winter, so must we. Trees shed their leaves to conserve energy, animals hibernate, and the earth lies fallow. To go against this rhythm is to risk burning out and missing the opportunity to rebuild our reserves for the seasons ahead.

The Consequences of Ignoring Winter’s Call

When we ignore the call to rest:

 1. Physical Depletion: We drain our energy reserves, making it harder to bounce back in spring.

 2. Emotional Imbalance: Anxiety, depression, and frustration often arise when we resist our natural rhythms.

 3. Diminished Creativity: By refusing to retreat, we may feel uninspired or disconnected from our deeper purpose.

 4. Weakened Influence: Without inner renewal, we lose the grounded, authentic energy that makes us effective leaders and creators.

What a Personal Inner Winter Looks Like

Winter isn’t just a season; it’s a state of being. You may find yourself in an inner winter when you feel the need to:

 • Retreat from social interactions or public-facing roles.

 • Rest deeply and recalibrate your inner world.

 • Reflect on what no longer serves you and release it.

 • Focus on nourishment rather than growth.

Signs you’re entering an inner winter include a craving for solitude, lower energy levels, or a sense that your usual activities no longer align with your current needs. These are all natural and healthy responses to your body’s wisdom.

Fears About Winter and the Healing Potential Within It

It’s common to fear stepping away from being “on” all the time. You may worry about losing relevance, opportunities, or connections. These fears often stem from societal conditioning that equates rest with laziness or inadequacy.

But winter offers immense healing potential:

 • Renewal: Time away allows you to rebuild your energy reserves.

 • Clarity: Reflection helps you reconnect with your values and purpose.

 • Authenticity: Tending to your inner world strengthens your foundation, making you a more authentic leader when you return.

 • Resilience: Embracing rest builds resilience, preparing you to handle life’s challenges with greater ease.

Tending to Your Inner Winter Unapologetically

As someone who may lead, influence, or inspire others, it’s essential to model the courage to honor your inner seasons. You don’t have to keep feeding energy into external systems when your body and spirit are calling you inward.

 1. Set Boundaries: Limit how much you give to others during this time, whether through work, social media, or personal relationships.

 2. Prioritize Nourishment: Focus on foods, practices, and activities that replenish rather than drain you. Think warming, hearty meals, gentle movement, and restorative practices like journaling or meditation.

 3. Reclaim Stillness: Give yourself permission to disconnect from external validation or achievement.

 4. Celebrate the Pause: Remind yourself that stepping away is an act of strength, not weakness.

Embracing the Power of De-Influencing

De-influencing doesn’t mean abandoning your work or your audience—it means redefining how you engage with them. Share from a place of honesty about your own inner seasons. Show your community that it’s okay to step back, rest, and tend to yourself first. In doing so, you invite others to honor their own rhythms and embrace the transformative power of rest.

As you navigate this winter—both externally and internally—remember that this time of nourishment and restoration is the foundation for the vitality and inspiration you’ll bring to the world when spring comes. Winter is not a time to fast; it’s a time to feast on what sustains your soul.

By choosing to honor your inner winter unapologetically, you embody a leadership style that values authenticity, balance, and true resilience. Let winter be your teacher, and let rest be your revolution.