If you conduct a precise google search for “winter is a time for reflection” (in quotes), you will get a result of over a million citations. Likewise, if you conduct a precise google search for “winter is a time for action” (in quotes) you will get a result of 2 citations (from a garden center). Obviously then, this post will be “swimming against the tide” but you can at least get a different perspective on Winter after you finish reading it.
Note To The Reader: If you live in a year-round warm weather climate, just make believe while reading this post that you live in my state of New Jersey.
Winter — Cold. Indoors. Hibernation. Outdoor Venues Empty. Snow. Ice. Did I Mention Cold? Winter is thought of by many, as confirmed by the google search results noted above, as the perfect time to pull back, slow down, reflect on the past year and plan your steps for the coming Spring, Summer and Autumn. Winter however, can be a time, maybe the best time, for you to take action to make your life better. That is the driving force behind this blog — making your life better.
In 1776, George Washington did the contrarian thing to keep the American Revolution going by attacking British forces (Hessians) at Trenton. In the midst of a miserable Winter storm, the morning after Christmas, his gamble paid off with a miraculous victory that raised the morale of the American forces and held the army of the new nation together just when it seemed that everything was about to come apart at the seams.
On June 6, 1944, Allied forces engaged in the largest military naval, air and land operation ever seen when they attacked the well-entrenched German forces in France. The successful invasion marked the begining of the end of hitler and the nazis. It most certainly would never have happened but for the veritable beehive of action that took place in the Winter of 1943 getting everything in place for the invasion. That is what “Old Man Winter” can give you — that “get ready time” so that you can “hit the ground running” in Spring to achieve whatever it is that you desire to achieve in your life.
Winter Actions
Not Spring Cleaning but Using This Time To Unclutter — Get rid of the junk that you no longer really need. That junk in the closet. That junk in the garage. That junk in the basement. That junk in the attic. That junk in the cabinets. That junk in the bureau drawers. That junk in the “junk drawer”. And especially that junk in your mind and in your heart that is counter productive and is weighing you down big time.
Not Just Planning but Using This Time for Active, Definite Preparations — There are countless cooking shows on tv nowadays. If you have ever watched one of them, you’ll notice that when the chef is in the process of preparing the featured dish, everything needed is always right on the counter, in little bowls, within arms reach. Everything has been pre-measured in advance. All the cooking implements are right there. The oven is pre-heated and ready to go. Everything has been put into place ahead of time so when the show starts, bam, the chef proceeds smoothly and effectively.
Not Just Reflection and Review but Using This Time for a Radical Renewal and Readjustment in Mind and Spirit — Why not use this Winter to “Go Rad”. Strip down your life to its very core. Hold on to and secure that which works well for you. Flush down the toilet everything that is causing your life to be less than it really should be.
The Winters that you live, comprise a full twenty-five percent of your life. Make full use of them. Make them as a time for action to make your life fuller, richer, more filled with joy, with peace, with power.