Now that the tree is down

The jingle bells have stopped ringing, the cookies are all gone, the tree and all the ornaments came down yesterday and our apartment hasn't heard Christmas music since the New Year. It's that time of year — the part after the holly and the jolly.

In this time of year, we have to look for other joyful things to help us get through an often dreary part of the year. What that looks like is different for everybody. For me, it's taking advantage of any ounce of sun and light when I can get it, and making the most of the times when I can't. On those dreary days, when it's cold and gloomy and rainy, I need to look to myself for how to create pockets of joy.

For me personally, creativity, energy and interaction with others all bring me joy. So on the dreary days, I try to create something through writing or design, something to get my mind moving. If that's not possible, I try to make social plans — things to look forward to that will get me out of the apartment. When all else fails, blasting my favorite music or listening to an episode of a podcast brings me to a good place. (It also doesn't hurt that Ben and I became plant people, so on days where the outdoors seem devoid of life, I have a little center of greenery on our coffee table.)

In truth, I think winter gets a bad rap. This season — coming after the much-beloved fall and before the new life of spring — so often gets associated with stillness and coldness. But those don't need to be bad things. Being cold and missing the sun can help us to more appreciate light and warmth when it returns. Being still allows us to reflect on what we've done, on how we've grown, on what our hopes and dreams and goals are.

In the warmer months, too often I feel like everything is in constant motion — go-go-go-go-go. There isn't as much time, it seems, to stop and reflect. So in the coming months, while I may wish for spring and the absence of winter coats, I look forward to more opportunities to look within and ask myself, "What's next?"