The other day I found myself thinking about how much advice exists on the internet on how we should be living our lives. Every second day there is a new rule, routine, or challenge promising to transform you into a better version of yourself. If it’s not unrefined health tips like “Drink warm lemon water first thing in the morning,” “walk 10,000 steps a day,” “take cold showers,” “add strength training”, its advice on how to step into your higher self by stepping outside the regular. Tennis? Too basic. Try padel. Journaling? Great but make sure you have cleared the energy around you. Meditate. Manifest. Visualize. Align. A dish cannot simply be enjoyed without hearing about gut health, supplements, protein intake or the latest superfoods. Get 8 hours of sleep, but also wake up at 5 a.m. because apparently the early bird catches the worm. It’s a lot!. Now, I am not hating. Anything that helps us become healthier and closer to the best versions of ourselves is a good thing. I couldn’t help but wonder if, somewhere along the way, we’ve all been handed the same script. We consume the same content, adopt the same habits, and chase the same version of self-improvement. Sometimes it feels like we are living the same life; same script, different cast. It really feels as though our personalities, quirks, and individuality are getting lost along the way.
And yet, in a twist of irony, I find myself offering a small piece of advice – or perhaps a challenge – for this winter.
Life is messy, seasons change, and most of us are simply doing the best we can with what we have. Not every season calls for a colour-coded planner, a 5 a.m. wake-up, or a perfectly optimised morning routine. Today marks the first day of winter in South Africa. Unlike the other seasons, winter has a way of amplifying whatever is already there. In summer, branches can hide behind leaves, appearing full and thriving. But winter arrives only after autumn has done its work. The leaves have fallen, what needed to be shed has been shed, and the branches are left bare and exposed. It is hard to ignore what’s right in front of you when everything else has fallen away. Winter’s short days and cold mornings are enough temptation to retreat from the world and hibernate. I completely understand why the girlies disappear until spring. But perhaps that’s what makes winter so important. Without the distractions and less busyness, we can see clearly what needs our attention. Maybe winter isn’t asking us to become a new person. Maybe it’s simply inviting us to slow down, take stock, and care for ourselves a little more intentionally.
A couple of years ago, I decided to be more intentional about how I live my life. I wanted to stop letting days, weeks, and even entire seasons pass by without truly experiencing them. I remember one January thinking, “here we go again, it feels like nothing changes year after year”. It felt like I was stuck in the same cycle, and honestly, I started to feel like there was no growth in my life. In that moment, I knew I didn’t want that to be my life. Life is too precious to waste, and while not every day can be extraordinary, I believe every season can be lived with purpose. Bafazi, we are not getting these days back, and we are not getting any younger!. I want to be able to account for the life I’ve been given, to know that I showed up for it, even in the small, ordinary days.
But, rather than giving myself another set of rules to follow, I’m using these next 90 days to finally try a few things I’ve been meaning to get into. The plan, so help me God, is to start with small habits, simple pleasures, and experiences that bring a little more energy, curiosity, and light into my days. If winter is going to ask me to slow down, then I want to be intentional about what I bring with me into that slower season. In these past few years of intentionally living this way, I have learnt that life is better enjoyed when you have something to look forward to. Whether it’s meeting up with friends for lunch, planning a vacation, celebrating a special occasion, or simply anticipating a beautiful experience, those moments give us something to hold on to. They add excitement to our routines and remind us that there is joy woven into everyday life. For me, these small habits for winter is something I look forward to this winter, a chance to reset, build healthy habits, and intentionally invest in myself during a season that often encourages us to slow down.
So, as I was in the middle of planning my 90-day winter lock-in or is it my “90-day soft”, I hadn’t even settled on a name yet. (P.S. I know my friends are probably tired of me and my monthly challenges because one thing about me, I will always involve them in my little schemes, shout out to you ladies). But then I had the idea to turn this into a blog. Putting together my plan took me back to 2024, when my dad was chronically ill. As the firstborn, I had to step into a role I wasn’t fully prepared for (I promise you everything is new in my 30s, everyday there is something new, zero preparation, its giving “There is always something, right!?”). To be an anchor for my family while everything around us felt uncertain and heavy. It was one of the hardest seasons of my life. Everyday took something out of me, and I found myself running on empty often.
UNTIL I STARTED WALKING…
My walks became something I genuinely looked forward to. It was the only time I could be alone with myself; no responsibilities, no expectations, no being anyone’s anything. Just me. Some days I would walk long distances, not because I was chasing fitness goals, but because I wanted to feel physical pain that somehow felt easier to carry than the emotional weight I was holding. I would honestly rather bear sore feet, any day. Slowly, walking changed me. It gave me space to breathe, to think, and to feel again. I often say that walking helped me carry the weight I couldn’t see, and I mean that deeply. It became the thing that helped me refill my cup when everything in me felt drained. After every walk, I felt lighter, more capable of showing up for my family, my schoolwork, my job and most importantly, for myself. So, if I’ve ever told you to incorporate walks or suggested adding even 30 minutes of exercise into your day when life feels overwhelming, trust me on that one, I am speaking from experience. Its tried and tested. I would also recommend doing it in the morning, I find that we have more control of our days in the morning than any other time of the day.
In real life, I talk quite a bit, so sometimes I lose my train of thought mid-sentence and end up telling stories instead but this post is really just me sharing my excitement for winter 2026 and what I’ll be getting up to. The greatest lock-in 2.0 of 2026 is happening this winter. Right now, I’m navigating life with PMOS (formerly known as PCOS), and like many women living with it, weight management can be a little more layered and less straightforward than the usual advice makes it seem. So I’m learning to pay closer attention to what actually supports my body, rather than chasing every trending fix or rule I come across online. This year I have been consistent with eating well and working out 4 – 5 times a week. This winter, I want to take that consistency a step further and focus more intentionally on habits that support a healthier body composition, a flatter tummy, and an overall healthy BMI. My focus is simple: showing up for the habits that support how I want to feel in my body, even on the days motivation is low. Which is exactly why I created this 90-day winter habits challenge, to keep me accountable on the days where motivation is low and also finally get into the things I said I would start in January but haven’t gotten around to yet.
As we share in the 90-plan together, here’s a small trick I’ve picked up along the way: when I don’t stick to my plan, I don’t restart from day one. I simply pick up the next day and keep going. That’s how I completed my 75-day soft challenge last year. I would fall off, sometimes for a day or two, and then just ease my way back in. I learned to forgive myself quickly and continue, because, I’m not perfect. I was never going to finish it if I kept starting over every time I slipped.
Here is my winter-lock in routine for 2026, you can “steal it” and adjust it to fit your life:
I hope this post has inspired you to think a little about your own winter maybe to plan it, or at least reflect on the habits you’d like to bring into it. Don’t let winter 2026 become just another season that passes you by unnoticed. Live a little. Dress up for no reason. Go on coffee dates. Journal. Take walks. Romanticise your life in the small, ordinary ways. Be intentional with your days and your actions.
And lastly, get your vitamin D (and other vitamins) checked. Get some morning sunlight when you can, it is good for you. Doctors encourage it, and honestly, our parents and grandparents knew what they were doing when they made a habit of sitting in the sun during winter mornings.
Let’s be present this winter. Let’s focus on what we can control and learn to survive what we can’t. Most importantly, let’s not let this season pass us by unnoticed.
Wonderful! I enjoyed this so much!😍