Wool Goddess

For a long time, I thought my body was broken.

Every winter, I slowed down. Every cold snap made my body ache more, my muscles burn, my energy drain away as if someone had quietly pulled the plug. My brain shouted, “push through!”, my body whispered, “rest.”

And for years, I didn’t know how to listen.

Living with fibromyalgia has taught me something radical: my body is not failing me, it is responding to the seasons.

Fibromyalgia Is Not Linear; it doesn’t move in straight lines.

There is no consistent rhythm that fits neatly into modern productivity culture.

Some days my body feels almost light.

Other days, even lifting my arms feels like too much.

Cold, damp weather intensifies pain. Shorter days affect sleep. A dysregulated nervous system reacts to stress, noise, pressure, expectations. When you live with chronic pain, your body is constantly scanning for safety.

Seasonal living has given me a framework that finally makes sense of this.

Winter: Hibernation is medicine

Winter used to make me feel guilty.

Everyone else seemed to be setting goals, starting routines, pushing forward — while I needed more sleep, more warmth, more stillness.

Now I understand: winter is not a failure of energy for me. It’s a biological invitation to slow down.

For me, winter looks like:

• Gentle mornings and later starts
• Warm food, protein-rich meals, slow digestion
• Crochet as nervous system regulation
• Saying no without explanation
• More time indoors, fewer social demands

My pain still exists, but my resistance to it has softened. When I stop fighting winter, my body feels safer.

Spring: Emergence, not pressure

Spring isn’t a sudden rebirth; it’s a thaw.

With fibromyalgia, energy returns gradually. Some days feel hopeful, others still tender. I’ve learned not to rush this season.

Spring is about:

• Curious movement, not intense exercise
• Creative energy returning in small waves
• Re-engaging with the world gently
• Letting ideas sprout without forcing them to bloom

I treat spring like a question, not a command.

Summer: Expansive but boundaried

Summer brings light, warmth, and surprisingly, its own challenges.

Heat can flare symptoms. Busy schedules can overwhelm my nervous system. Longer days can disrupt rest.

Living seasonally with fibromyalgia means:

• Enjoying the energy without overspending it
• Resting before I crash, not after
• Choosing softness over obligation
• Staying hydrated, fed, and regulated

Summer is not about doing everything; it’s about choosing what truly nourishes me.

Autumn: Turning inward with intention

Autumn is my favourite season.

There’s permission here to slow down again, to reflect, to prepare. The body senses the change before the mind does.

Autumn invites:

• Gentle routines
• Returning to warmth and structure
• Honouring grief, release, and reflection
• Preparing for rest rather than resisting it

This season reminds me that letting go is just as important as growth.

Living Seasonally Is Nervous System Care

Fibromyalgia is deeply connected to the nervous system. Living seasonally helps me regulate it without forcing myself into someone else’s rhythm.

Instead of asking: “What should I be doing?”

I now ask: “What does this season ask of me?”

The answer is rarely productivity. More often, its presence.

My body is not the problem

Living seasonally has shifted my relationship with fibromyalgia from battle to partnership.

My body is not lazy, broken or weak. It is wise and needs to honour the seasons, both around me and within me; I don’t just manage my symptoms.

I live more gently.

More honestly.

More whole.

….and I have never been more content being me.

Love and healing hugs