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Each year when the clock falls back, it feels like everyone around me slips into survival mode. When the daylight shrinks and the chill in the air shifts from crisp to cutting, I can see why the dark, cold season feels like something to brace for instead of embrace.

But I actually look forward to this time of year every year. And not just the “first half” filled with holiday cheer, but with the whole long, dark season. Because I have found many ways to welcome the dark and cold and make the most of this fleeting season.

I’ve lived through Midwest winters for thirty years now – so I’ve learned a thing or two. I don’t see these months as something to endure, but as a season with its own special kind of beauty, rhythm, and ritual.

This year, I invite you to do the same. To welcome the darker months with a few small, purposeful shifts that will make them feel rich rather than restrictive.

#1: Inject Whimsy Back Into Your Days

breakfast for dinner or a diner before work is a great way to break up the monotony of your week!

Summer tends to invite spontaneity – long evenings, unplanned detours, and late night ice cream runs. Winter doesn’t offer those same cues, so we have to create them ourselves.

I’ve found the best way to do this is by adding small, unexpected moments of delight into your day.

Have pancakes for dinner or drop by a diner before work. Take an afternoon bath or visit the library just before closing time. Stay up late and do something creative in the mystery of the night: bake, paint, write, or rearrange your room like you’re a kid again.

These are all like tiny acts of rebellion against monotony. They add interest and play to days that might otherwise blur together. They remind you that even when you can’t control everything, you can still live a rich, interesting life.

#2: Layer in Warmth & Light

candles, fires, and soft lamp light are all great ways to bring your own glow to the cold, dark months

Since the sun won’t do it for us, this is the time of year to create our own cozy glow:

Add candles everywhere: a candlestick at dinner, tealights around the bath tub, or a scented candle by your laptop.
Leave your throw blankets draped over the couch or foot of the bed, ready for use instead of folded away.
Add some cozy to your (probably cold, institutional) office cubicle too: try a lamp with an amber bulb, a mug warmer for your tea, and a cozy cardigan draped over your chair.

Creating warmth is more about setting the environment than the temperature. When you bring in soft light, cozy fabrics, and inviting touches, the long night feels more like a retreat than a shutdown.

#3: Plan for Comfort

Before daylight savings ends, stock up on warm drinks, cozy blankets, and cold weather gear.

Instead of preparing for winter, plan for it. Preparation can signal “survival mode” but planning feels like anticipation. A way of saying, “I’m looking forward to what’s coming and have a plan to welcome it.”

Consider the small discomforts that bug you most about this season – cold fingers, dark commutes, early sunsets – and take some purposeful action now, so they won’t rattle you as much when they happen.

Each fall, I do a few things to get ahead and ready myself to savor this time of year:

Stock my pantry and freezer with everything I need to pull together a quick, comforting meal: slow cooker pot roast, soups and stews, frozen bread dough, and warm weekend breakfasts.
Organize and inventory our winter gear: replace any pairless mittens, tuck hand warmer into coat pockets, and set up a basket of hats, scarves & gloves ready to go by the door.
Swap in seasonal necessities where they’re needed most: extra gloves and a jump kit in the car, a nice hand cream and lip balm in my bag, and tissue packets in every coat pocket.

These little steps help me feel capable and ready, which is the difference between enduring winter versus welcoming it.

#4: Stay in Circulation

Ambient belonging is a sense of being a part of the world, even when you're all doing your own thing -- it's a great way to feel connected during the insular seasons.

When the days get shorter, it’s tempting to make every night a “quiet night in.” But, connection is a special kind of comfort, too.

During the dark and cold months, I find it’s more important than ever to get out and about and find little pockets of community, even when we’re all just doing our own thing.

I actually only have a gym membership during the winter months. It gives me access to a treadmill and sauna when the cold, dark mornings tempt me to skip, and there’s something comforting about being around others who refuse to hibernate.

You could do the same with a pass to a hot yoga studio, trivia night at the pub, a pottery class after work, or even daily shopping for dinner ingredients, instead of one big grocery delivery on Sundays.

While it’s never a bad idea to invite friends over for soup and board games, I find it’s these moments of ambient belonging – just being around people, not necessarily with them – that keep me grounded and energized, without the forced socialization that can get wrapped up in the holidays.

#5: Don’t End the Night Too Early

A weekly game night is something to look forward to when the sun sets early and it's cold outside!

Just because the sun sets early, doesn’t mean your day has to. Some of my favorite memories are from evening activities that only happen during these cold and dark months. They feel extra cozy precisely because it’s cold and dark outside.

This time of year, we go to our local basketball games, book midweek reservations at cramped, candlelit restaurants, take our daughter to indoor swim lessons, and have a standing game night on Tuesdays after dinner.

We also find ways to extend our time outdoors, even after the sun has set. We string up our holiday lights early (and take them down late), we make backyard bonfires (an excuse to eat s’mores year round), and we’ve even wrapped the stroller in colorful battery-powered lights so our evening walks feel magical instead of dreary.

#6: Savor the Rest

The changing of the seasons is a reminder to slow down, savor, and restore.

The real reason I crave this time of year is because it invites a different kind of productivity: thoughtful, slow, and restorative.

It’s when I finally have time for hobbies that get pushed aside the rest of the year when the sun is calling us outside. I craft more, write more, and cook slower meals. There is less pressure to “do” and more permission to “be.”

I reflect on the year behind me and start dreaming and planning for what’s next: my goals, travel, and creative projects. The stretch from February to March – the time most people dread – is actually one of my favorites. It’s a time to recenter my own wants and needs, instead of reacting to the invitations and expectations from everyone else.

With the right mindset, the cold and dark months don’t have to be something to survive – they can be a time to savor.

Each fall, as life begins to slow, I feel a sense of relief. And by summer, I often find myself missing that quiet.

By filling your days with warmth, light, curiosity, and purpose, you can make the most of this season. You don’t have to endure this season, you can truly welcome it.

How To Welcome The Dark Season (and Actually Enjoy It)