If we want to restore the balance in our lives, and feel more calm, we need to reconnect with nature. Living with the seasons is an important part of that. Each season plays a vital part in the cycle of life, and we need to adapt to it to feel good (whether we realize it or not).

The more we can connect to the seasons and appreciate what they have to offer, the more connected we will feel to the world around us, and the better our moods will be.

I absolutely love to go for a walk in the woods on a cold winter’s day, or to go camping in the forest ⛺ Sitting by the fire on a cold winter´s day, and sipping on a hot drink, will make you appreciate both those things in a way you will never be able to otherwise..

And after months of darkness, when the sun begins to lighten up the days a little longer, when the first flowers are starting to come up, and when birds are building their nests, the arrival of spring is such a welcome reprieve! 🙌

If we didn’t come out of a dark winter first, we would not be able to appreciate spring in the same way we do now. Every season has its charm. Coming back to appreciate and celebrate that, is one of the most valuable gifts you can give yourself.

Here is how living with the seasons will improve your life, and 14 ways to make the most out of every season.. 🤗

What It Means To Live With The Seasons

To live with the seasons means to connect with the natural world around you, to tune into what nature is providing at that time of year, and to respect that.

Everything in nature, and therefore everything in life, is cyclical 🌀 We endlessy go through times of growth, fruition, decline and recuperation.

By becoming conscious of these cycles, and appreciating them for what they are, we can make the most of what every season has to offer (rather than dreading the cold and praying for daylight 😅).

Our bodies will tell us exactly what is good for us..

In winter, the many hours of darkness are naturally nudging us to sleep more, to rest, recharge and recuperate.

In spring, the days are starting to get longer and we naturally want to clear our spaces and our bodies, stay up longer and enjoy every bit of the sun that announces the beginning of a new cycle.

The Benefits Of Living With The Seasons

Because many of us spend most of our days inside, it is vital that we take the time to tune in to the seasons. There are many benefits to doing so:

• Sense of calm – Living with the seasons in a more conscious way will give you a greater sense of calm. It naturally relieves us from stress that we put on ourselves.
• More energy – Making the most of the daylight and food of the season helps you improve your overall mood and feel more energetic.
• Feeling of belonging – Seasonal consciousness will also boost your feeling of connectedness with the world around you. The more we become aware of how nature changes, the more we start to appreciate it and feel a sense of belonging (as we start to realize that we are as much subjected to the forces of nature as every other living being on this planet).
• Reconnecting with yourself – By reconnecting with the seasons and with nature, we reconnect with ourselves. Sadly, we often don’t realize at all what we have lost, and the price we pay for our modern lives.. (If you like to know more about what it means to reconnect with nature, and how to do it, check out my post Reconnecting With Nature – A Complete Guide)
• Developing your intuition – When we take the time to connect with nature, we naturally slow down our pace. When we slow down, our mind gets quiet, and that is is when our intuition speaks the loudest. We become more mindful of what is truly important to us.
• Experiencing flow – When working with the energies that are available to us, rather than trying to work against them, will get us to experience a state of flow more easily. When you are in a flow, things will start to feel natural and effortless 🌞
• Learning about life – The more time we spend in nature, the more we learn. By observing animals, plants and patterns in nature, we learn about life. The most valuable things cannot be learned in a classroom, but only through experience 🤗

14 Ways To Enjoy Every Season To The Fullest

Here are some ideas on how you can connect with the seasons and enjoy them to the fullest 🍃☀️❄️

1. Eat Seasonal

Eat the foods that nature provides throughout each season. That is the food that your body needs the most at that time of year 🤍

In the spring, to revitalize after winter, our body needs a fresh boost of vitamins, which is provided through the light of the sun☀️ and through many plants (often their sprouts and young leaves contain the most nutrients in the spring!).

In summer, there is an abundance of fruits and plants to eat to nourish and prepare our bodies for the colder seasons. There is so much abundance now, and we have plenty of opportunity to harvest and prepare what we need for the seasons to come.

In fall, there is an influx of nuts to provide us with the needed fats to store in our bodies and prepare for the winter to come.

In winter, we need to hibernate and sustain our bodies with heavier foods like meat, a few winter vegetables, and the food that we stored and collected from previous seasons.

Naturally, early spring is (or used to be) a time of fasting and cleansing the body. If you have a vegetable garden, you may know that early spring, in colder climates, there is not much to harvest yet. Coming out of winter, early spring is the time for the body to reset and cleanse itself, to prepare for the upcoming abundance..

2. Plan Your Day Around The Light

Make the most of the light that is available in every season.

During the darker winter months, go out for a walk at midday to get as much sun as possible on your hands and face. This will boost your energy and helps to lift your mood (watch the video above for some inspiration).

During summer, depending on the temperature, shift your outdoor activities to early or late in the day, and rest during the hottest hours (where possible).

3. Go For Walks In Nature

Walking is a great way to experience the seasons (can you tell that I love it..?! 🤩😅). It slows you down, really makes you take in your surroundings while you are getting some exercise.

Also, walking in the cold may seem uninviting on some days, but it is the best boost for your immune system you can get. And it is free!

4. Have A Sit Spot

A sit spot is a spot in nature where you regularly go back to, to observe your surroundings. Try it for yourself, it will do wonders! Find out more about the sit spot in my post here.

5. Have A Seasonal Celebration Ritual

Do as our ancestors did, and celebrate the beginning of every new season. These moments are marked by the summer solstice, the winter solstice, the spring equinox and the autumnal equinox.

Take the time to welcome the new season and to be grateful for what it has to offer.

Think of a way that you would like to celebrate: organize a (small) gathering, or create a personal ritual. Go for a walk in nature, get creative with natural materials or do a meditation.

6. Get The Sleep You Need

When you spend time living outdoors, or go on camping trip, you will notice that you are naturally getting tired when it gets dark.

It is normal that in winter time we sleep for a very long time, and in summer time we sleep much less. Give in to this urge, it is completely natural (and very healthy)!

7. Go Camping

Aaah I love to go camping! In any season.. Go and try it (if you aren’t already)! Camping is a great way to experience being in nature while still having some of the comforts that we are used to.

Spend your days outside foraging, sitting by the fire, and becoming part of the natural world around you..

8. Cook Outdoors

Nothing more primal than cooking outdoors. Try out cooking on an open fire, in a Dutch Oven, on a stick, or on a hot stone.

If you prefer to barbecue, do that! This can also be done at any time of year. Invite some people over and have a barbecue in the winter, and don’t forget the glühwein 😉

9. Collect Natural Materials For In Your House

Instead of buying flowers, pick your own bouquet of wild flowers that are abundant in your area 🌻 Look for any material that you can use around the house, such as nuts, branches, pine cones. They give off a great smell and vibe for the season you are in!

At the end of the season, you can give the materials back to nature (maybe during small a ritual) and prepare for the next season to come. (No need to buy a bouquet or tree that is ‘manufactured’ unnaturally and disposed off again a few weeks later.. 😅)

10. Create Your Own Seasonal Decorations

Create your own natural decorations for the season. During the holiday season, collect some pine branches, some nuts, some holly or mistletoe to create your own decoration.

As a Christmas tree, get a little pine tree that you can move inside your house temporarily, and move it out into the garden during the rest of the year.

For some ideas of how people used to create their own decorations in the past, watch this episode about holiday season on a Victorian farm:

11. Air Out The House

At any time of year, air out the house (even when it’s cold). Nothing beats the smell of the fresh morning air when you wake up 🤗 (this is also great for grounding)

12. Grow Some Of Your Own Food

Growing some of your own food can be as small as growing some herbs in the window sill. There is nothing that will connect us to the seasons more than growing our food.

When you have a vegetable garden or work on the land, you will naturally feel connected to the seasons as you will know how important it is to work with them.

13. Forage Some Of Your Own Food

Foraging some of your own food is another great way of learning about nature and about the seasons. It will really open your eyes to what is going on around you. It is amazing how many edible plants are growing so close to us (we only need to take a moment to notice them!).

For some easy edible plants, nuts and mushrooms to forage, check out my post What to eat if you get lost in the woods?

14. Go For A Swim

To enjoy the surroundings and boost your immune system, go for a swim. At any time of the year. Nothing more healthy than plunging into the cold water (try the Wim Hof Breathing Method for this), or floating in a lake during summer 😎

This post was all about living with the seasons.