Winter Is Here (Part 2): A Beginning-of-Winter Survival Guide for Anxious, Childfree Women (Copy)
It’s the 22nd- the solstice and shortest day has just passed. Phewwwww, we are on the other side!
Tho, for many as we head into the height of the holidaze… we are only getting started.
Last week we looked at the first 5 strategies for getting through the winter… here are 4 more. Sure, I could probably have thought of 10 total, but I’m just going to have to deal with the fact that there are only 9 in the list (I do like an even number, sorry!)
Onto #6!!
6. Create Tiny Rituals That Keep You Anchored
Anxious women tend to create winter self-care plans that are wildly unrealistic.
“I’ll meditate every morning.”
“I’ll journal daily.”
“I’ll stretch for 20 minutes at night.”
And by December 15th, the self-shaming begins.
Stop.
Winter self-care should be small and steady, not grand and impossible.
Try rituals like:
lighting a candle every evening
reading one page of a book
taking three deep breaths before bed
warming your hands around a mug of tea
practicing a 5-minute nervous system reset
cuddling with a pet
opening your blinds first thing in the morning
joining a weekly self-help bookclub!! JOIN HERE!
Rituals become emotional landmarks when the days blur together.
They help you feel like you’re still here — in your life, in your body, in your agency.
7. Give Yourself Something to Look Forward To (Your Future Self Needs Hope)
One of the hardest parts of winter is the feeling of endlessness.
December is the moment to seed hope — not wait until you’re desperate for it.
Try:
planning a small January outing
booking a massage or haircut
planning a weekend getaway
choosing seeds for your garden
planning a spring trip
scheduling a winter craft night
designating a “first warm day” ritual
joining a weekly self-help bookclub!! JOIN HERE!
Childfree women often have more freedom — but fewer built-in traditions.
You get to create your own joy markers.
The things you plant emotionally in December are the things that carry you through February.
8. Allow Yourself to Enjoy Parts of Winter — Without Guilt or Pressure
You’re allowed to enjoy:
cozy blankets
winter candles
snow days
quiet evenings
warm drinks
ice skating
holiday markets
winter hobbies
You’re allowed to enjoy any part of winter — even if you dread other parts.
Joy is not betrayal.
Joy is resilience.
Part of rebuilding after trauma or burnout is letting yourself remember what pleasure feels like — even in cold months.
9. And If You’re Struggling, Early Winter Is the Best Time to Ask for Help
If December feels heavy, lonely, overwhelming, or confusing — that is incredibly common.
Especially if you’re:
childfree in a family-centric season
recovering from burnout
rebuilding after a sudden life change
grieving something you can’t talk about
navigating trauma triggers
dealing with seasonal depression
holding everything together while quietly falling apart
Winter does not need to be something you “push through.”
I work with women online in NY & NJ, in therapy we focus on:
grounding and regulating your nervous system
managing the emotional load of early winter
working through holiday triggers
navigating identity and belonging as a childfree woman
creating winter coping strategies that actually work
rebuilding confidence after trauma or major transitions
setting boundaries
finding meaning in a season that often feels empty or overwhelming
Support now prevents the deeper crashes that tend to show up in late January and February.
You don’t need to wait until everything feels unbearable.
Final Thoughts: Winter Is Long — But You Get to Shape the Beginning
The arrival of winter can feel like both a descent and a beginning.
It’s a season that strips things down.
It forces slowness.
It demands presence.
It reveals what needs tending inside you.
But early winter also holds potential — the chance to care for yourself intentionally before the deeper months hit.
So as December settles in and comes to a close, remember:
You’re allowed to rest.
You’re allowed to say no.
You’re allowed to enjoy things.
You’re allowed to take up space.
You’re allowed to ask for help.
You’re allowed to build support before you feel desperate for it.
Winter will come either way.
But your emotional experience of it is something we can shape — together.
If you're looking for support this season:
At Rebuild & Grow, I offer online therapy for anxious, childfree women in NY & NJ navigating anxiety, burnout, trauma, and life transitions.
You don’t have to do winter alone. Set up a free consult call today.
