The change in seasons: What the shifts teach us about ourselves
- Welmer van der Wel
- Sep 30, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Nov 13
There’s something about the changing seasons that stirs more than just nature. It stirs us, too. As the days shorten, the air cools, or the sun lingers a little longer, our bodies, minds, and hearts notice. Some of us feel a subtle shift in energy, while others notice a heavier pull — sadness, fatigue, or a sense of disconnection that creeps in almost unnoticed.
These changes aren’t just “in your head.” Seasonal shifts affect how we feel because our rhythms are intimately tied to light, temperature, and the natural cycles around us. But the way we experience them also reflects our inner world — emotional patterns, unmet needs, and ways we’ve learned to cope with stress, loss, or change.
Seasonal Depression: Understanding the Winter Blues and Beyond
Seasonal depression, often called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), is a common experience, especially as the light fades in autumn and winter. It’s not just “feeling sad”; it’s a shift in your body and mind that can show up as:
Low energy or fatigue
Loss of motivation
Difficulty concentrating
Feeling down, hopeless, or irritable
Changes in sleep and appetite
Even if you don’t meet the full criteria for SAD, seasonal changes can amplify unresolved grief, stress, or anxiety. The slower, darker months bring attention to emotional patterns that often remain dormant during brighter, busier times.
The Mirror of the Seasons
The shift in seasons works like a mirror. The emotions that arise — restlessness, sadness, irritability, or longing — often reflect aspects of ourselves that haven’t been fully seen or integrated.
Are you resisting the slower pace of life?
Are you holding tension that surfaces only when your usual distractions fade?
Are there inner needs — connection, rest, validation — that are being ignored?
Noticing these mirrors isn’t about judgment. It’s about curiosity. Seasonal shifts invite us to observe, reflect, and respond rather than react or resist.
"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower" -- Albert Camus
Dealing With Seasonal Shifts in the Moment
When the blues or anxiety surface, the first step is to meet them directly rather than push them away. Here are ways to respond:
Notice without judgment: “I feel tired. I feel sad.” Labeling the emotion is the first act of self-compassion.
Connect with your body: Check in with where tension lives — chest, shoulders, jaw, or stomach. Breathe into it.
Gentle movement: Walking, stretching, or yoga helps energy flow and lifts mood.
Create rituals: Light candles, journal, or call a friend. Anchoring yourself with intentional rituals helps stabilize your system.
Be with the feeling: Let yourself sit with sadness, frustration, or fatigue. You don’t have to fix it right away — simply noticing is transformative.
Rewiring Over Time
Seasonal emotional patterns are often tied to old coping strategies, beliefs, and unhealed parts of ourselves. Over time, you can shift these patterns through consistent, conscious practice:
Self-awareness: Track moods, thoughts, and behaviors with each seasonal change. Notice recurring patterns.
Acceptance and self-compassion: Meet your inner critic, inner child, and protective parts with care. Acknowledge their role in keeping you safe.
Creating new experiences: Engage in activities that provide safety, pleasure, and connection. When repeated, your nervous system learns that it’s safe to relax.
Consistent check-ins: Daily or weekly practices — reflection, journaling, breathwork, meditation, movement — strengthen your capacity to stay grounded and present.
Practical Exercises for Seasonal Emotional Health
Here are some exercises you can try to support yourself during seasonal shifts:
1. Body Scan & Soften
Sit or lie down comfortably.
Close your eyes and notice areas of tension or tightness.
Breathe into each area for 3–5 breaths, consciously softening muscles.
Repeat, moving from head to toe, and notice any emotional sensations that arise.
2. Journaling Reflection
Write down emotions that surface during the season without censoring yourself.
Ask: “What is this feeling trying to show me?”
Identify any patterns from childhood, past relationships, or previous seasons that may be influencing your reactions.
3. Inner Child Reparenting
Visualize the part of you that feels lonely, sad, or anxious.
Imagine holding this part with warmth, as you would a child in need.
Speak gently to it: “It’s okay. You are safe. I am here with you.”
4. Seasonal Gratitude & Anchoring
Each morning, write down 3 things you appreciate about the current season.
Include small, sensory experiences: the way sunlight falls, the taste of a warm drink, the sound of leaves crunching.
Anchoring in gratitude helps shift focus from what’s lacking to what’s present.
5. Conscious Movement
Take short walks in natural light, stretch, or try gentle yoga.
Pay attention to your body’s sensations. Movement helps integrate emotional energy and provides a tangible sense of safety.
6. Intentional Micro-Rituals
Light a candle at the same time each day, brew tea mindfully, or spend 5 minutes outside noticing the weather.
These rituals signal to your nervous system that you are creating stability, even when the season feels unpredictable.
The Gift of Seasonal Shifts
Seasonal changes, even when challenging, carry a hidden gift: the opportunity for self-awareness, reflection, and emotional growth. The low energy, the melancholy, the irritability — all of it is a mirror of your inner world.
When met with presence and compassion, these shifts help you:
Recognize your patterns and triggers
Reparent your inner child
Cultivate new, safe experiences for your body and mind
Strengthen resilience and self-trust
The seasons remind us that life is cyclical: times of darkness are naturally followed by light, times of rest by activity, and moments of introspection by clarity. By working with the seasons rather than against them, you can navigate emotional shifts with grace and wisdom.
Coming Home to Yourself
The changing seasons are more than nature’s rhythm — they are invitations to come home to yourself. When you notice, reflect, and respond with care, you transform seasonal lows from something to endure into something to learn from.
Seasonal change doesn’t have to be a struggle. It can be a teacher. And the more you listen, the more you allow your inner world to align with the cycles outside, the closer you move toward wholeness, presence, and peace — no matter the weather.
Your nervous system learns safety. Your heart learns compassion. And your mind learns that even sadness or fatigue can hold wisdom.
Support for seasonal feelings and shifts
Comments