Since I was a young girl, flipping the pages of books has brought ultimate joys- yearning to learn and be transported into stories told near and far. Hiding and hibernating for hours, mesmerized by the words sprawled on paper. Curling up next to a cracklin’ fire as an adult while snow softly sprawls on the evergreens beyond the window pane provides ultimate joy.

Ordering new books on the Kindle or Amazon Prime delivery is so easy. Yet the smell of the inked paper bound for discovery in a bookstore is something like a version of the best day ever. 

There’s a bookstore in my hometown connected to a cafe. It possesses a certain mystical vibe. When I visit, I grab a random book off the shelf and read a passage. Typically it is something of nonsense or wonderment of the meaning in this authored story. 

But in a random moment of play during a first winter storm, I picked a book off the shelf and read the words, “In order to give your best and be your best, you must take time to rest. If you do not take care of your mind and your body, you can not give your all… give the world your best.” 

The magic of winter is the quietness of darkness falling early and the retreat to being inside, reconnecting to self. The self-discovery during winter’s rest is a gift. 

The self-discovery during winter’s rest is a gift.

-mandy murry

Easy to get caught up in the constants of life. Pushing hard to be sure everything is done- putting our self-care time to the next day and the next. We add more coffee or double espressos, thinking we will get caught up. 

Clients of mine in other countries have always commented that Americans don’t stop. It’s always business and a rush to get something done. Their words have resonated deeply, especially as the blue hues of the evenings start settling in at 4 pm during the winter months at our residence in Montana. 

Here, bears create a den to take shelter and rest after a long summer’s roaming play- a note we should all take to heart. 

Each day, scheduled activities fill my calendar- work, workout, meditation, yoga, date nights, dinners with friends, self-care, travel, and all the other things that pop up. After all, life is life, and some things take precedence over others. 

As I pondered the words read that day, while my hands hugged a warm mug of peppermint tea, I decided to do winter slightly different, slightly better for me. 

Scheduling rest and recharge times. Setting up magic moments to refuel my mind, body, and spirit. The more I created those mini-retreats at home, the more in-depth I could be with myself. The more I could discover and be inspired by the stillness. Because when I am still- in those moments of listening- the best thoughts, ideas, and creativity fill my senses.

Scheduling time for me. Honoring the darkness of 4 pm and allowing that time to reconnect and rebalance to be able to emerge from winter with fresh new eyes and a spark of energetic life to greet the spring and sew new seeds. 

Here in Montana, winters can be long. Embracing the gift of what can feel heavy is changing the narrative. We are the curators of our story. I want to live the story- not rapidly turning pages- but living each moment- being there as an active participant and not rushing from calendar list to activity. 

I choose to schedule rest and give the hospitality I coach with clients to myself. Creating a winter of merriment and heartfelt moments to keep my cup full. 

When you rest and control your intake and output, you can give the best of you to the world.

When you are on a plane, they instruct you to put the oxygen mask on first before helping others. 

May we all curate our moments to give the best of us to ourselves and the world.

Wishing you a winter of M&R – magic and respite. 

With love,

Mandy