Embracing Change

My Journey of Wintering and Self-Discovery Through Books

I would always say I was definitely not a book reader. I don’t find it easy to be captured by books because I can’t see what they are saying.

If my imagination can’t switch on when I am reading, I might as well be reading it in a different language because it won’t register.

When I pick up a book and I can see images in my mind quickly, I know I’m in for a treat.

This book was well-executed, and I really enjoyed reading it my way, which involves stopping and starting over whatever period of time I need to, and it being the right time to read it.

Throughout my life, I have “wintered” uncountably, and to have it described and articulated so well in this book by another person’s experience was so validating.

Our culture seems to snub the reality of slowing down, resting, and recognizing who we were and who we are becoming as a constant changing process—one that needs wintering to fully metamorphose.

I spend a lot of my time with treatments just being there while others are wintering, and it’s a truly beautiful process, albeit a hard and uncomfortable one.

Clients have totally changed direction in their careers, moved on from relationships, as well as rebuilt and recovered career paths or relationships. We change as people so regularly through growth, and the world around us changes too, making it totally understandable that it can be difficult to adapt to.

For me, with AuDHD, I thrive on change, but while the change is happening, I crave some form of familiarity that’s predictable (i.e., listening to the same music and watching programs on repeat, eating the same foods) because I grieve the change deeply and my brain gets confused.

I’m enjoying and welcoming acceptance of who I am, and that it will take a lifetime because life is forever changing. But with each winter, I’m slowly seeing closer what I actually want and shedding all the assumed wants and needs that weren’t really needed.

This life is quite short in reality, and despite all the doubts, fears, and anxiety I’ve had over doing it a bit differently, I did it because of love. I’ll keep making mistakes because my mistakes really show me where I don’t need to go.

I strongly suggest this book, and I would welcome a suggestion for another I can slowly slumber time with.