MARCH 2025 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: WRAPPING UP MY WINTER ARC 2025 CHALLENGE

March 3, 2025 by iamsummerterry

February marked the tail end of winter, and I couldn’t be happier. I mean it’s still cold as brick here in New York but spring is just around the corner and we’re literally two weeks away from 7pm sunsets! But before we get there, if you’ve been following along with the Winter Arc 2025 Challenge, this is the time to check in on your progress and celebrate those wins.

Now, if you’re wondering, “What’s a Winter Arc?” Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. The Winter Arc Challenge draws inspiration from anime, where characters undergo intense “training arcs” during the winter. It’s all about self-improvement, focusing on fitness, wellness, and skill development. This challenge has taken off on social media as a great way to tackle seasonal depression and stay productive during the colder months. I first found out about it on TikTok (ofcourse) and then saw some of my fave YT (YouTube girlies) discussing it. That’s when I jumped on board, but first, let me break it down within the context of how social media has shaped it in 2025.

On social media, the Winter Arc Challenge aligns with self-care routines and mental health awareness, typically breaking it down into four quadrants: mental health, physical fitness & wellness, goal setting, and self-care. You list out the things you want to focus on in each area throughout the winter months, create an action plan, and get to work! Here’s a sneak peek at my own Winter Arc 2025 Challenge:

Physical Fitness & Wellness:
Walk 1 mile, 4 days a week, 3 Pilates Reformer sessions per month, Wake up between 5AM / 5:30 AM, Sleep by 9PM / 10PM, Drink a gallon of water daily, Increase fruit intake & juicing, Take vitamins & herbs daily, Matcha is life (lol), Immunity shots every day, Incorporated kombucha for gut health, Sleepy Girl cocktails nightly.

Mental Health: Limit screen time daily, Start each day with prayer and affirmations, Listen to morning motivation during commute to work, Daily journaling, Focus on reciprocal energy and avoid over-delivering.

Goal Setting:
Open a High-Yield Savings Account (HYSA), Increase Credit Union Savings, Reduce Credit Card Utilization, Strategize relaunch & Relaunch IamSummerTerry.com, Make changes to my environment at home that reflect who I am in 2025.

Self-Care: Consistent AM/PM skincare routine, Regular body care routine, DIY Gel-X nail sets, Bi-weekly hair care routines, Closet revamp, Solo dates, Fun with friends, Self-Improvement Work, Listen to audio books, Tap into my inner child with coloring sessions to boosts creativity.

I’m someone who is heavily affected by seasonal depression and, quite honestly, still grieving my Mom, among other life stressors. Creating a clear, self-prioritized plan has kept me busy and helped me keep the winter blues at bay. By spring, I’ll be stepping into the new season feeling lighter and more prepared. Even though winter is wrapping up, you can turn this into a Spring Forward 2025 Challenge if you want to. I’m just saying—if this at all intrigues you, don’t let the fact that winter is almost over make you think you missed out. No such thing. We remix over here!

Would you be interested in starting a Spring Forward 2025 Challenge? And if so, what are some of the things you want to focus on? Let me know in the comments.

To a life styled right,

Summer Terry