Diary of a Thriving Mum

If you know me well, you already know I’m a nature babe through and through. God often uses nature to speak to me — to slow me down, to show me things, to whisper lessons I would otherwise miss. I can genuinely cry just from seeing the beauty of a sunset, a tree dancing in the wind, or the calm after a storm.

But even with all my love for nature, there’s one season I have never really liked — winter. I just don’t vibe with it, especially Alberta winters!!!!. The cold, the layers of clothes, the endless snow… nothing about it feels appealing. Yet recently, God started using the very season I have always disliked to teach me something deep.

Let me backtrack a bit.
Since the weather started getting colder, I have honestly felt… off. Sad and lazy, even. I haven’t wanted to do much — not go out, not work, not socialize. If not for bills (because, let’s be real, adulting doesn’t pause for feelings), I probably would’ve taken a long break from everything.

But in the middle of that quiet sadness, I started to hear a whisper in my heart:
“Ife, winter is important — and necessary.”

It reminded me of a children’s book I read to my daughter one night. It talked about how animals rest and hibernate during winter. That stayed with me, so I started reading more about it — and what I found stopped me in my tracks.

Winter allows the soil to rest.
It replenishes water.
But what really stood out to me is that winter kills pests and parasites that could destroy crops, animals, or even spread disease.

And it hit me — winter isn’t just a time of rest and reflection; it’s also a time of necessary endings. It’s when life slows down so that healing and renewal can begin. It’s when things that are harmful quietly die off, making space for growth when spring comes again.

Maybe it’s not a coincidence that winter arrives as the year closes and another begins.

So this winter, I’m choosing to lean in — to rest, to reflect, laugh, create and to let go.
To let the unnecessary die off.
To trust that what feels cold or lifeless right now is actually preparing me for new life, new growth, and new beginnings.

❄️ Winter isn’t the end — it’s the reset before the bloom. 🌱