The clocks went back last night. 🙁

That means that by the end of this week, most of us in the U.S. will soon be walking out of school during sunset or even pitch black.

Your body is going to read that darkness as a sign the day is over, even though you've still got dinner to make and about many more hours of being a responsible adult ahead of you.

I know how those evenings tend to go for me if I'm not paying attention. It's dark and cold, I'm tired, and the couch is right there, so I pick up my phone. The early sunset hands us a lot of extra indoor time, and the internet is always ready to fill it.

What if the long nights weren't a limitation, but an invitation to use our time differently for the next few months?

Every other living thing around us is slowing down right now. The trees have dropped their leaves and the animals are settling in, and I've come to think of the long evenings as my turn to do the same.

Here are the small rituals I lean on this time of year:

Get outside in the morning. Ten minutes of daylight early in the day, even when it's gray, helps reset your body clock so you're sleepy at the right time. I still try to spend at least a few moments outside in the morning with my coffee, but maybe for you, it's just parking on the far end of the lot at school and walking a little further to extend your time outdoors.

Turn on soft lighting before the sun sets. It's less jarring for the room to grow darker if I already have some lamps on. I often light a candle, as well, which makes the living room instantly feel cozy. Low, warm light tells your nervous system that evening has started.

Give yourself a short restorative moment of presence in the evening. Before you start dinner or your other nightly tasks, give yourself five minutes with your legs up the wall, or sit with something hot to drink and watch the sky through the window fade from blue to black. Sitting still in a dim room for five minutes feels strange at first, and then it starts to feel like the best part of the day.

Take a walk in the dark. I love to bundle up after dinner once a week or so and walk slowly, noticing how the sounds and smells are different this time of year. It's one of my favorite things to do as a forest therapy guide, and it works on a suburban or city sidewalk too.

You don't need to do all four rituals: pick the one that sounds good tonight, and let this dark season give you some of the rest you've been putting off.

Angela

P.S. If all of this sounds lovely, you're invited to join me this winter to embrace the cold, long nights, and stillness in a retreat together.

Angela Watson Connect with our community of educators: ​​​​​ PODCAST CURRICULUM BOOKS COURSES SPEAKING

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P.O. Box 175, Bushkill, PA 18324​

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