Today is the shortest day of the year by observed daylight. It is the Winter Solstice - when the northern hemisphere is tilted the furthest from the sun. Tomorrow and for the next six months, each successive day will have a little more daylight. At the Summer Solstice, the trend will reverse - days will continue to grow shorter.
At each solstice, I always think about the transition that is happening. Will days start growing or shrinking. Despite the Winter Solstice being a much darker day, I prefer it because of the trend that it starts.
When days are growing, time feels like it’s on your side. Tomorrow will always be a bit better than the present. It creates this underlying sense of optimism.
It is the feeling of optimism that I appreciate most with this transition. When that is the mindset, everything seems to have more potential; the future is brighter and more attainable.