Then comes the "wrap-up." A big, soft blanket, my thickest socks, and my favorite sweater at home. Sometimes it feels like you're warming up not from the temperature, but from the very texture of these soft things. It's like a physical hug.
There's often something happening in the kitchen at this time. Hot tea is always on.
What to do in such a cocoon? Something that doesn't require rushing. Reread a couple of chapters from an old, tattered favorite book. Watch a good childhood movie. Or just lie and listen to the rain on the roof, watching the candlelight shadows dance on the ceiling.
Sometimes warmth comes from quiet creation. Color a few pages in a sketchbook, knit a few rows on an infinity scarf, or even just gently smear some hand cream on your hands. These simple actions calm and bring you back to the present.
I realized that in cold weather, it's important not just to wait for warmth from the radiator, but to create it yourself. From small things, from smells, from silence, from taste. This is my way of taking care of myself. Light a candle, wrap yourself in a blanket, take a sip of something hot, and voila, you're in a safe fortress that no wind outside can penetrate. And that's the best feeling. 😘😘😘