Winter Solstice: The Longest (Laziest) Night of the Year

I used to be a night owl. Mornings were brutal, evening was my time to shine. In the last few years that has changed for me. I think a good part of the reason for change is more body awareness.

My yoga practice has helped me recognize and explore the connection between my body, mind, and soul. I quit drinking coffee in April. I sleep when I am tired. I thrive in the sunlight. In the summer I am up until 10:30 and easily back up as soon as the sun rises. I get a lot done. So this year when the time shifted and the days began to get shorter I was in for a world of fatigue.

I have a really hard time mustering the energy to do things at night. Once I get home it is there I want to stay, no more wandering out and about to meet friends or hit a yoga class. While I am productive in the evening with crafting, talking with friends, and my yoga practice that window for productivity has shrunk. By 8:30 I am ready to wind down and go to sleep.

I am quite thankful for this awareness I have of my body, mind, and spirit. I haven't been sick nearly as often as I have in past winters. While the holidays have been hard because it's the first year without Murphy, they don't have the normal stress associated with them. My emotions and such feel more in balance.

That being said I am so thankful that today brings the Winter Solstice. The shortest day of the year. The Longest (and for me, Laziest) night of the year. As tomorrow comes to dawn the days will be longer, my energy levels will grow, and the beautiful cycle begins again.

Happy Solstice!