Winter Goals 2025

Since coming across a TikTok about living seasonally, I have been trying to be more intentional about remembering how life ebbs and flows. The creator described living seasonally as a way of looking at life as phases. There will be a season where you're performing exceptionally well at work, growing professionally, learning consistently on the job, and excelling. However, there will be a season where things slow down, signaling a shift to channel your energy into rest, low-effort activities, and sleep.

It's a helpful reminder that not every day will be productive, not every week will feel the best, and not every month will be filled with social events.

There will be seasons of success, reflection, rest, play, social engagements, and growth. And that's all it is. They are seasons, not how your life will be forever.

Moving from Malaysia, where it's summer year-round, to the States, where I'm experiencing the different seasons in their extremity, has been a unique experience of time. When I first arrived, it was towards the end of winter. Our apartment was perpetually cold, the wooden floors were a shock to the system with bare feet, and the bathroom felt like an icebox. With the heater on, my nose would bleed due to the dryness, so we would have to put on a pot of boiling water to add humidity. Cycling through the seasons gives me a new appreciation to savor each day for what it is.

When it's warm, I try to go outside and read. Every day is an opportunity to live in alignment with the season.

Now that we're fast approaching winter again, I'm preparing myself for what's to come. When I think of winter, the holidays, cozy nights in, warm beverages are some of the things that come to mind. My first winter, I was filled with excitement to explore my new neighborhood, but after an eventful few months, I'm in the headspace to wind down and focus on rest.

I'm slowly but surely getting ambient lighting to make our home as cozy as possible with the shorter days. Supplements have been acquired to ensure that I get sufficient Vitamin D. I'm also on the lookout for a sunrise alarm clock to regulate my internal sleep cycle.

The main intention of December is to find balance and slow down.

Where summer was filled with workshops, social gatherings, and excursions, winter will be spent mainly indoors with movies, video games, books, and cozy hobbies.

My winter survival plan includes the following:

• Waking up early to get as much sunlight as possible. The sun setting at 5 pm is making me a little sad, so I'm hoping to combat seasonal affective disorder (SAD) by getting a decent amount of sunlight every day.
• Walking outside at least 2 - 3x a week. There will be days when it's freezing and all I want to do is be a couch potato, but going out and getting some sun will also fight off SAD. Even if it's a short walk to the park and back. All I need to do is bundle up and get my heart pumping.
• Having a dopamine menu with a list of things to do that will bring me joy. Sometimes we fall into a routine and forget what hobbies or activities can spark inspiration or provide a sense of novelty. I made a general dopamine menu zine, but I will be making one specifically for the colder months.
• Resting! As the year comes to a close, I want to prioritize rest after such a transformational year. I want to reflect on everything that has happened and rest adequately for what's to come in 2026. Every year, I use the Year Compass to look back on the past year and set goals for the new year.

The survival plan is the general vibe of the season, but here are some goals I would like to achieve that are a mix of fun and play:

• Learn how to play chess: As I mentioned in my last artist date entry, I want to embrace board games. A lot of my hobbies involve a screen, so, in thinking what I could do that is more analog and tactile, board games came to mind. Learning to play chess is an act of redemption for my inner child, who attended chess lessons but, for some reason, couldn't grasp the concept as well as I would have liked to. In relearning the basics, something clicked in my head, and I have found so much joy in challenging myself with matches. I envision cold winter days spent indoors with a warm cup of tea and vibey music, playing chess against my partner.
• Hit my 52-book goal: My reading goal this year is 52 books. As of today, I have read 44 books, so I'm close! This is just a reminder to keep reading consistently to achieve my goal of a book a week. This should also lower my screen time.
• Go for a cabin getaway: The holiday season wouldn't feel right without a little weekend cabin getaway! Ideally, it would be in a small town surrounded by nature, local wine shops, an independent bookstore with secondhand books, and a mom-and-pop diner or two. Bonus points if the cabin has a fireplace to up the cozy atmosphere with the crackle and sizzle.
• Embrace slowness and find balance: This means monotasking, focusing on one task at a time, without spreading my attention thin. I have gotten accustomed to playing word games while watching TV, which I feel has frayed my attention span. I want to start focusing on one task at a time and reclaim my attention, because without realizing it, multitasking makes me feel like I'm constantly rushing to get so many different tasks done when there's no need to rush and be in a hurry. I want to take my time, do things intentionally and mindfully. I want to live less in my head and more in the present.

These are some plans I have that make me excited for the colder months. Where there was once dread, there is now hope and enthusiasm.