As the days get shorter and the cold settles in, I can feel the pull to just hunker down and survive until spring, and I have to consciously choose not to give in to it.

Maybe your winter is the literal season, the dark mornings and the gray stretches that feel endless. Or maybe your winter looks different—a season of grief, a transition you didn't choose, something in your life that just feels stuck and heavy and long.

Either way, we've been taught to brace ourselves and push through hard seasons, to just survive until things get better. But what if there's a different way? What if the struggle isn't really about what's happening around us, but about how we've learned to relate to it?

This week, I'm talking with Jamie from Rise Meditate, who spent years dreading winter and has now developed a beautiful framework for working with hard seasons instead of just enduring them.

In this episode, you'll hear:

❄️ Why your winter struggle might have nothing to do with the actual weather (and everything to do with the stories you're carrying)

❄️ The study that proved fear can be passed down for 14 generations and what that means for your nervous system

❄️ What happened when Jamie finally stepped outside after years of avoiding winter (and why it felt like escaping from prison)

I know winters—whether they're the actual weather or the seasons of life that feel impossible to get through—can be so hard. If even one thing from this conversation helps you feel a little less stuck or a little more empowered, that matters.

For full show notes, including takeaways, click here.

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Announcements:

📔 Today is the last day to order the Flecks of Gold Journal and receive it before Christmas! This simple gratitude practice helps you notice and name the small, beautiful moments with your kids every day—and it's incredibly supportive of your mental health, especially during the "winters" of our lives. Order before midnight tonight at 3in30podcast.com/gold.

Related Episodes:

414: Feeling Low Right Now? 3 Tools to Help You Cope // Sarah McKenna

406: Navigating Holiday Melancholy // Dr. Tanmeet Sethi

How to Support a Friend during the Holidays who has Lost a Loved One // Rachel Gainer

Episode Sponsors:

Skylight: Right now, get $30 off the 15-inch Calendar at MySkylight.com/TAKEAWAYS.

Hand-Lettered Design:  If you're looking for the perfect gift for a child or woman in your life who likes art or creativity, this is it. You can get 10% off your order at Hand Lettered Design with the code Rachel10.

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