It is time to get real, focused, and disciplined. Care to join me?
With two months left of the year, this is a time for reflection on the areas that needs change, improvement, and even reinvention. You have most likely seen across TikTok the "winter arc" trend dominating beyond the wellness space.
Gymshark defines the winter as as "a time where every man must face the mental and physical challenges of winter. A time to put your head down and get things done." Whether that is fitness, nutrition, finances, or emotional intelligence, this arc could be the turning point for the new year approaching.
Though some mark the beginning of this phase on October 1st, the winter arc is still available and not too late to begin. This transformation is all about consistency, tracking, awareness, but most importantly - imperfection.
Let's take this journey step by step:
Morning routine:
You may think your morning begins the moment you wake up, but it begins the night before. The way you rest, prepare your environment, and prepare yourself for the following morning will lay the foundation for a powerful routine. My favorite habit is to lay out my outfit for the morning, pack my lunch, charge my devices, and pack my work or school bag. This saves me a lot of time in the morning do that I can focus on factors that matter. This includes:
Limiting screen time: This is something everyone is told to avoid, yet everyone has a hard time following. As someone with several responsibilities, I have a bad habit of checking emails and texts too early in the morning. Before taking care of myself, I take care of others. This winter arc and afterwards, I aim to be kinder to my stimulation, mind, eyes, and body by not using my phone first thing in the morning. One way I have addressed this is by purchasing a traditional alarm clock or only using my phone to turn off my digital alarm.
Mindfulness: Being connected to mindfulness does not need to require fifteen minutes of meditation when you have limited time in the morning. Sometime it means getting ready in silence, playing calm music in the morning, or opening the windows and allowing fresh air in.
Looking put together: Each day, this serves different levels of priority or meanings for me. Whether you decide to wear something casual or nice, the effort of trying to look put together can truly manifest into feeling put together. This means washing your face first thing in the morning, completing your hygiene routine, and dressing in items that make you confident.
Gratitude: A personal favorite of mine is acknowledge and expression gratitude not only at the start of my day, but throughout. Acknowledgement and expression are two very important differences. Though I forget to embody gratitude on a daily basis, I tell myself often that it is a privilege to have slept in a safe environment, have a busy day ahead, the opportunity to rest, or spend it with things and people I love. Simply acknowledging the blessing of your circumstances is the best way to begin your day.
Habit stacking:
It can be overwhelming to keep track of all the habits you want to to try and improve, but habit stacking is an excellent way to cross the checkmarks, For example, when I am preparing my environment for the following day, I leave teeth whitening strips or a face mask on while I refill my night stand water or tidy up my space. By doing this, I am improving my skin care, encouraging myself to drink more water, and organizing my routine. Habit stacking may look differently for you but its affects are empowering, tangible, and impactful in improving your overall daily life.
Ah, fitness and movement.
In full transparency, I have always had an unstable relationship with fitness. Whether it is difficulty with disciple, education, experience, or affordability, this is something I constantly have to build towards. Some ways that I have approached this, especially during cold times is:
Warm athletic clothes
Heated workout classes
Low intensity workout
Literally, just wake up: Early morning workouts are a driving trend to the winter arc wellness. As tough as it is to get up early, not snooze, and force your shivering body to exercise, you just have to get up and do it.
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