❄️ Hibernate, but don't stagnate: Self-care for Winter is our next Book Club pick

Plus: What’s going on in The Clubhouse in November

Hello everybody,

I don’t want to wish autumn away - there’s still one more month to enjoy this delicious, transitional time of year - but winter is coming.

And we can’t escape it, so we may as well embrace it, and this year I want to support you to do it differently.

Self-care for Winter is our new Book Club pick, and it’s also our theme for the next two months, as we prepare to explore strategies for thriving in the colder months.

And I can’t think of a better guide for us than the queen of self-help, author Suzy Reading.

As a psychologist and a yogi, Suzy spends her life supporting people through change and challenging times.

For many of us, winter is physically, emotionally and mentally challenging as our mood and energy dips, and life often seems more bleak.

But instead of fighting the feeling to retreat and seek comfort, Suzy invites us to recognise this deep call to pause - and to listen to it - using this time of year as a chance to cocoon, go inwards and regroup in as many ways as we can (without getting fired).

As the days become shorter and the cold descends, hibernation mode is very real. We all feel the invitation to slow down, retreat and take stock.

― Suzy Reading

Suzy was guest of honour at our birthday brunch at the weekend, where she reminded us that self-care looks different in all seasons, and that in winter it should get bumped up our list of priorities.

And if you just read that sentence and thought: “Ha! Fat chance of that TJ when I’m still paying off the summer holidays, everyone has a cold and Christmas is coming.” (I see you! 👀)

Then this book is 100% for you.

Because whether you think you have time for self-care or not, life - and especially winter - is easier when we have the right support.

And that’s exactly what this book is. A guide to supporting ourselves (and each other), to ‘promote, protect and restore our mental, emotional and physical health’, and to find the joy and opportunity in these dark months.

Author, psychologist and self-care QUEEEEEEN, Suzy Reading

The book features 7 Steps of Winter Well-being; from harnessing light and colour to embracing nature and creating comforting rituals, and we’ll be sharing and working through each step as community here at the Shelf Help Clubhouse for the next two months, starting the Read-along for paid subscribers on Monday 11th November.

There’ll be weekly reading targets and check-ins and online events, including author interviews with Suzy and also the wonderful Rebecca Campbell, as well as expert workshops and monthly book club meetups. We also have a couple of IRL events in London and Norwich (info on those coming soon), a couple of global meetups (Barcelona, Lancashire and Washington happening this month) and Book Club members are also invited to connect with me and each other via our various private chats.

Below you’ll find our November diary as well as the Self-care for Winter Reading Schedule, and over the next week or so I’ll be sharing lots more about this book and why I think it - and Shelf Help - need to be your winter well-being companions.

‘Do things today that make tomorrow easier,’ says Suzy.

And I think committing to reading a book on being kinder to yourself right now is an excellent place to start.

Are you in?

Toni 💛

PS I’d love to know your thoughts on the title choice in the Comments…

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NOVEMBER 2024

• Fri 1st - BOTM announced: Get yourself a copy

• Mon 4th - Author Event: Rebecca Campbell is online with us celebrating the launch of her new book, Your Soul Had a Dream Your Life is It

• Mon 11th - Book Club Launch event: A Winter Self-Care Audit

  🎯 We start reading: Intro + Chapter #1

• Mon 18th - Author Event with BOTM author, Suzy Reading

  🎯 Reading target: to the end of Chapter #2

• Mon 25th - November Book Club with Toni and the community

  🎯 Reading target: to the end of Chapter #3

• Thurs 28th - In-person Book Club with Toni at The Hearth in London (ticket info available to members this weekend)

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