The "Winter Arc" Trend Has Been Going Viral, But A Therapist Explains Why You May Want To Abandon This Challenge For The Rest Of 2024
With only a few weeks left in 2024, people across TikTok have been talking about a new "wellness trend" to help avoid the winter blues.
It's called the "Winter Arc" challenge, and it involves getting laser-focused on your goals and personal development during the end of the year when people typically relax and slow down — so when January 1st arrives, you'll already be ahead of the game.
For instance, influencer Carly Berges, who posted a "Winter Arc" explainer on TikTok back in September (which garnered over 4.6 million views), said that even though people are supposed to start the trend at the beginning of October, they can technically begin their Winter Arc journey whenever they want as long as it's before the New Year.
As for the kind of goals one might include in their Winter Arc challenge, Carly said she's going to create more content, wake up earlier, journal two times a day, and read four books in three months. If you want more ideas, check out other Winter Arc videos here.
But even though Carly said that the next three months would involve "all gas, no breaks" to accomplish this trend, she posted this video a month before the election happened, which, for some people, was when the future seemed a little more hopeful.
Now that things might feel a little bit heavier and the months are getting colder, it makes sense why some people may want to forgo this trend altogether (which is 100 percent okay to do!)
But, if you were thinking of still trying out this trend just through a more self-compassionate lens, I talked with therapist and Lifestance clinician Katelyn Miskevics, LMFT, on how to approach the Winter Arc trend with less gas and more breaks.
Of course, I want to preface that you absolutely do not need to follow any wellness trend, especially if you don't feel comfortable doing so. Just because something is trending online doesn't mean that it's been vetted. Most, if not all, social media trends are never examined by medical or mental health professionals before being posted on social media channels.
Always make sure to discuss with your medical or mental health professionals before trying out social media trends to see if it's a right fit for you and your lifestyle.
According to Katelyn, she can see why people might gravitate toward the Winter Arc trend from a mental health perspective. "As society transitions into the winter months, it is natural that people might become a little less social, turn more inwards, and prioritize comfort and slow down," she told BuzzFeed. After all, the people of Denmark coined the word "hygge" to represent these cozy feelings and activities.
But while it can be beneficial to slow down and seek out comfort, sometimes this also equates to feeling less motivated and pushing goals off until the new year or the next season, Katelyn continued.
"We tend to operate at our best when we have some balance and equilibrium in our lives, so I can see how a concept like the Winter Arc encourages people to not just hibernate for the season but also to set specific goals that will keep positive action and momentum going," she said.
This is especially true since New Year's resolutions have garnered a bad rap over the past few years. "I think the main reason [for this] is that people have developed unrealistic expectations about 'starting new' on January 1st without adequate preparation and planning as to what that will look like," she explained.
"I believe that's part of the appeal of the winter arc and why this wellness trend might benefit those looking for a change: It feels more realistic to start building healthier habits toward the end of the year, which will likely translate more gradually into the new year."
However, the keyword is starting gradually and listening to your body before beginning the Winter Arc trend, especially this year. "I would encourage people to account for how they tend to feel this time of year," she said. "If someone knows that they typically feel a bit more lethargic in winter months or know they have holiday social obligations, they need to be realistic with themselves when setting goals to account for these factors."
While it's normal to feel discouraged if you run into challenges while working on goals (whether big or small), the key is to give yourself grace as you grow, Katelyn explained. "Breaking and building habits can take time and feel challenging, so it's important to be mindful of potential barriers and practice self-compassion during this time period," she continued. This is even more important for those who may experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or loneliness during the holiday season.
If you're on the fence about doing the Winter Arc trend, one, do not feel pressured to do it just because others are, and two, Katelyn encourages people to be mindful of their intentions behind completing a wellness trend like this. "Some extra reflection surrounding why a person wants to have a Winter Arc can be helpful so that they can ask themselves questions like:"
1. Why do I feel drawn to have better habits in my life?
2. What has led me to feel unsatisfied with my current habits?
3. In what specific ways will I benefit from making these changes?
4. Am I setting goals because I want to or because I feel like I should?
5. How will my situation improve from working towards this goal? How might it suffer?
6. What will help me stay consistent moving forward?
If you don't feel satisfied with some of your answers for whatever reason, Katelyn wants to remind you that it's more than okay to skip the Winter Arc trend this year because sometimes you don't need to go "hard" during the winter months.
"It may imply that this is the only time of year when someone can choose to 'get on track' or set personal goals," she said. "This is a reminder that self-improvement and engaging in healthy habits should be something that we focus on ALL throughout the year, not just at one specific time. Of course, we all will ebb and flow at various times with how motivated or healthy we feel, and that is okay — but it is more important that we empower ourselves to make positive changes and strive for health consistently throughout the year, as needed, and not just in the winter months."
However, if the end of the year feels like the right time to dive deep into goals, Katelyn encourages you to try out this one approach to have a more successful rate of accomplishing them.
"As with any goal setting, it is typically found that specific, measurable, and realistic goals have higher rates of success," she began. "For example, think about the goal of, 'I want to cook more meals at home.' This sounds somewhat vague, and sometimes, our brains struggle to start a new habit when we are not specific about how we will put our new goal into action."
"A more helpful way of saying this goal might sound like, 'I plan to cook dinner at home two times per week for the month of November,'" she continued. "This offers a stronger framework as to what this person can prepare for each week, how to gauge progress by setting a specific number, and gives a measurable time frame to work within."
Whatever path you choose, it's important to remember that there is no right or wrong answer. This year has been tough for many, so taking some form of rest at the end of the year might be the healthiest thing you can do for yourself if you're able to. It's also important to remember that self-improvement comes in countless forms, Katelyn said.
"The Winter Arc trend is one specific way that people might choose to seek out increased wellness and health. If that is something that resonates and works for you, great! If you find you have a different approach to setting and reaching goals, that’s great, too," she continued. "Everyone’s mental health is unique to them, and reflecting on what allows one to feel their best, any time of year, should always be a top priority."
Have you already begun the Winter Arc trend? Or are you going to take the rest of the year off from goals? Tell us how you're approaching the end of the year and why in the comments below.
