The Magic of February: Tapping Into the Quickening
/Happy February!
I hope this finds you well as we move into the shortest month of the year.
While it may be the smallest month, it brings with it new energies and one of my favorite things of the year, the quickening. If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, you may notice that little signs of the quickening begin showing up around you here and there. The quickening is that quiet burst of energy that begins to push through the soil, plants, and even us.
You may notice that you start to have an increased energy, enthusiasm, a burst of creativity, or desire to move forward on some new projects or goals that have been on your mind or on your list. Just like the crocus, hyacinth, and orchards start to make their presence known; you may find that you have a renewed sense of zeal for the new things blooming in your life.
While we’re still in the midst of winter, there’s a feeling that things are slowly but surely picking up speed as we gently move toward a new season. You may feel this push pull within you this month too; one day you may feel guided to go slow and the next day you may feel a pull toward taking action. This ebb and flow is one of the things that I love about this month because we’re in that in between space that allows us to tune into our natural rhythms while we prepare for the new season.
If you’ve been experiencing a slow start to some of your new year things, that’s okay. In fact, this is a powerful time to review some of the things on your list and reassess how they feel for you and it’s a great time to add, subtract, or adjust accordingly. Remember, you get to decide if something is a priority or if it’s being set to the side for whatever reason.
This is also a good time to invest a little time in self care, especially if you’re wanting to increase or reintegrate self care into your routine. There are 28 days in February this year which means that if you choose to focus on doing something for yourself each day this month, it will be a healthy habit that you can more easily honor all year long. Research shows that it takes 21 days to create a new healthy habit, so by the end of the month, it will feel natural for you to continue your practice.
Sometimes when people hear the term self care it can create a little sense of pressure or feel like it’s one more thing to add to your daily list of tasks. However, it doesn’t have to be something that takes a lot of time in your day and there’s no one way or right way to cultivate a self care practice. Your way may look like someone else’s or it may be something that is uniquely yours. The only thing that really matters is that it’s an action that is supportive for you.
Here's a few simple and quick practices that can help you get an idea of some things that resonate for you.
Morning Mantra or Focus for the Day
5 Minute Morning Meditation
Filling your Diffuser
Listening to or Playing Music
Journaling
Coloring
Reading for Pleasure
Going for a Walk
Drinking Water (maybe with lemon, or mint)
Saying yes to an activity that feels uplifting or supportive to you
Saying no to things, people, or activities which feel heavy or draining to you
Affirmations
Going to Sleep Early
Asking for Help if You Need Help
Baking Some Cookies
Making Your Favorite Meal
Learning Something New
Planting Some Flowers or Herbs
Clearing Out a Closet, Pantry, or Dresser
Starting a New Project or Working on an Existing Project
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These are just a few ideas to help you get started on cultivating self care in your own daily life this month. You can choose something that takes only a few minutes or something that takes a bit more time. Sometimes, I think we forget that drinking water, remembering to breathe, and taking down time are very important parts of taking good care of ourselves; and they definitely count as self care. Just like adding money into a piggy bank, it adds up quickly and you are 100% worth the investment.
As you begin your new month, I invite you to tune into your own rhythms each day and connect with this energy of the ebb and flow that’s happening right now. It’s such a magical time of the year and it goes by quickly which adds to the whimsical quality of February. I hope your month is filled with forward motion while also being balanced with things, people, and activities which feel soothing, supportive, and honor your self care.
I’d love to hear how you’re moving through the quickening and the ways that you’re taking good care of yourself this month. I’m planning on doing a little bit of garden preparations, baking, and some winter canning too.
I’m sending you so much love and support from my teeny corner of the world right to you.
With Love and Gratitude,
Kristy~xoxo
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