The days are getting shorter, the weather is getting snowier, and honestly? All I want to do is curl with a blanket and become one with my couch.
Winter, especially in Ontario, can be downright dreary. It’s hard to get excited about your week when the sun starts setting at 5pm. You wake up in the dark, spend your evening in the dark, and it feels like your only goal is simply surviving until spring.
If you’re feeling like you’re coasting through the dark months of November, December, January, and February, you’re not alone. Goal setting in Spring and Summer feels effortless: people are out, events are happening, and being active outside takes zero planning. Your goals align naturally.
Winter? Whole different vibe.
The brightness of summer feels too far away to motivate anything long-term, and that’s totally fine and totally normal. You’re not missing out. You’re not falling behind. You’re not unmotivated. You’re in a different season, literally and emotionally.
Here’s the truth: you can still set meaningful winter goals without having a full vision.
Reframe Your Winter Goals: Think Smaller, Softer, and Seasonal
Winter goals don’t need to be ambitious or life changing. They can be tiny sparks of joy woven throughout your day or “maintenance mode” habits you’re already doing well.
And yes, obviously, many goals in winter must adapt to the weather. Training for a marathon? Amazing. Just layer up, invest in reflective gear, and expect the occasional snow day. Feeling festive? Make a goal to keep the holiday spirit alive in small ways. Want a seasonal goal that’s purely fun? Commit to a Hallmark movie every weekend for peak cozy vibes.
This winter season can be about:
Clarifying, not just conquering.
Use this time to reflect on what you want, not necessarily chasing it straightaway.
Resetting, not reinventing.
Winter is the year’s build-in rest. Audit your pantry, refresh your wardrobe, or learn a small skill like keeping a sourdough starter alive.
Resting, not rushing.
Lean into the cozy. Think blankets, coffee, quiet nights, candles, and the simple gratitude of being inside while snow falls.
Let’s rebrand winter as a natural season for gentler, softer goal setting. Release the pressure. You’re already doing better than you think.
Continue reading below, if you’d like some actionable tips for goal setting in the winter.
Tip 1: Start With How You Want to Feel
When you don’t know what your goals are yet, begin with emotions instead of outcomes.
For example:
- “I want to feel grounded.”
- “I want to feel calm.”
- “I want to feel connected.”
- “I want to feel like I’m taking small steps forward.”
Then, turn those feelings into micro-goals.
- Calm → 5 minutes of breathing or stretching daily
- Connection → Text or meet one friend per week
- Grounded → Morning journaling or evening gratitude check-ins
Tip 2: Choose “Low-Lift” or “Micro” Goals Over Big Resolutions
Low-lift goals require minimal effort but have a noticeable payoff.
Examples of a low-lift goal could be:
- Declutter one drawer or shelf per week.
- Add one extra glass of water to your day.
- Take a 10-minute morning walk.
- Replace doom scrolling with reading.
- Light a candle and stretch at night.
- Reduce added sugar in one small way.
Micro-goals stack up. No big overhaul needed – just tiny degrees of improvement.
Tip 3: Create a Winter Bucket List (Even a Tiny One)
Seasonal goals are perfect when long-term goals feel foggy. Lean into the cozy magic of winter.
Some Ideas:
- Try one new cozy recipe weekly.
- Have a winter movie night (there are so many fun Christmas movies).
- Walk outside during a snowfall. Romantic and magical.
- Visit a local café and treat yourself to a holiday latte.
- Do a winter craft with your kids like making an ornament.
- Build a snowman. And why not throw in a snow angel or an impromptu snowball fight while you’re at it!
The key to this bucket list: it needs to feel fun, doable, seasonal, and the exact opposite of a chore list. Looking for inspiration? Check out my kid-friendly Christmas bucket list:
Tip 4: Focus on “Maintenance Mode” Goals
Sometimes the easiest thing to do, is to just keep doing what you’re doing. If you’ve built up a habit over the summer that you’re proud of, mark that down and make a point to keep going.
Here are some suggested goals that aim to maintain the stability you may have already built the foundation for:
- Keep up basic routines. Like journaling, getting your steps in, and meditation.
- Protect your sleep. Dark months can hit your mood hard, help to prevent Seasonal Affective Disorder by getting your sleep.
- Keep the house just organized enough. Think acceptable baseline, not perfection.
- Support your mental health. Think going outside during the day, talking to friends, and taking vitamins.
- Get some gentle movement in. Evening yoga or some mobility work is great during the winter. Check out YouTube for classes. Check out this mobility class from Nourish Move Love that I turn to regularly.
These maintenance goals allow you to enter spring with energy instead of burnout.
Tip 5: Use a Weekly Reset to Reassess What You Actually Want
Pick a day (Sunday works well!) and check-in:
- What worked?
- What felt tough?
- What lifted my mood?
- What’s one thing I want to try next week?
Winter is a season of reflection, so let goal setting be a conversation with yourself.
Tip 6: Adopt the “Winter Try List” Instead of Goals
A “try list” = no pressure to do the thing.
What is a “try list”? It’s like a bucket list, but it focuses on things you’d maybe like to explore before fully committing to.
Examples could be:
- Try a new bedtime routine, like reading before bed instead of TV.
- Try a new workout class. Finally sign up for that reformer Pilates class you’ve been eyeing.
- Try meal-prepping 1–2 meals. Give it a try with a couple recipes rather than committing your whole week.
- Try going to bed earlier.
- Try going alcohol free.
- Try marathon-style training without actually signing up.
If it doesn’t stick? No guilt. Move on.
Tip 7: Celebrate Micro-Accomplishments
Winter is long, motivation is low, and every tiny win counts.
- Went for a walk? Win.
- Cleaned part of your house? Win.
- Played with your kids? Win.
- Showered on a tough day? Huge win.
Momentum builds from the smallest sparks.
‘Tis the Season
Winter goals don’t need to be grand. You really don’t have to train for that Hyrox competition, lose weight, or reinvent yourself. My own goals this season are simple: hit 8,000-10,000 steps a day, reduce my caffeine intake, and stay “unplugged” and off my phone when I’m with my kids.
Come Spring, you’ll likely feel more clarity and motivation for something new. Until then? Grab your blanket, make a cozy Pinterest board, and just be.
In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.
Albert Camus