Lately, I’ve been thinking about how winter changes us — not in big, dramatic ways, but in those small, honest shifts you only notice when you stop rushing.

I’m not someone who naturally slows down. I like to feel useful. I want to be of service. But this season? It’s been gently showing me that sometimes, life invites us to do less.

At first, I resisted it. I assumed I was just tired or unmotivated (maybe there’s some truth in that, too). But over time, I realised — no, this is winter doing what winter does. It pulls energy inward. It softens the outer noise. It asks us to listen — not just to the world around us, but to ourselves.

These past two weeks have given me the space to lean into that a little more. No school routine. More time with family. Slow mornings, layered up in winter clothes — and the Canberra cold made sure we stayed that way. Even the chill in the air felt like a quiet teacher. That hug-yourself kind of energy. A reminder that feeling warm on the inside doesn’t always come from doing more — sometimes it comes from simply being with yourself, just as you are.

I don’t think winter comes to stop us. I think it comes to settle us.

To offer a pause.

To return us to what’s steady and true.

And for many of the women I met in class — especially those undergoing changes, whether hormonal, emotional, or life-stage related — that pause can feel both unfamiliar and deeply needed.

A few things I’m learning (or remembering) this season:

1. Slowness isn’t the enemy.

We’re so used to measuring ourselves by how much we get done. But sometimes the most important things can’t be ticked off a list. Things like rest. Clarity. Feeling a bit more at home in your body. That kind of stuff needs time — and winter gives us that.

2. You don’t have to be “doing” to be growing.

Not everything that matters will look productive. Sitting quietly with a cup of tea, moving slower through the day, choosing not to push — these things might not look like much from the outside. But they’re often where the inner work happens.

3. You get to choose what stays.

Winter helps strip things back. And in that space, you get to ask: What’s really worth my time and energy right now? Whether it’s habits, relationships, expectations — it’s okay to take stock and decide what still fits.

**A gentle takeaway…**

If this season is asking you to slow down — let it. You don’t need to rush back to full speed. You’re allowed to be in a season of reflection, of tending to your inner world more than your outer one.

Maybe that looks like coming to a restorative class. Or lighting a candle and journaling at home. Or just leaving a day free of plans, because your nervous system asked for it.

There’s no gold star for running on empty.

Winter, it turns out, is a teacher. And when we stop fighting it, we might finally hear what it’s been trying to tell us.

With care,

Shona x

Tiroana Studio

📍 Mindful practices return to Tiroana Studio from July 14.

🧘‍♀️ Restorative and Yin Yoga, and Meditation — bookings via tiroana.com or reach out if you’re not sure where to start.