Beating the Winter Blues….
Hello! How are you doing? Are you a winter lover or do you find this time of year as difficult as I do?
When the excitement of Christmas and the New year is over, we can be left almost with a sense of loss or a feeling of emptiness. The days are short, the weather is often grey and cold - especially here in England. Getting out and about is not so inviting and staying home snuggled under a blanket is my preferred method of getting through January to March!
Sensibly some animals choose this time to hibernate, conserving energy until the better days come and although this sounds appealing to me, there are still bills to be paid, children to be fed and pets to be walked. So how do we make the most of this time, so we can thrive and not just survive.
Firstly for me, slowing down during these months is key. It is perfectly ok to do what is needed, leaving the other stuff til another day.
If all you feel like doing is going to work then coming home, putting your PJs on, eating a ready meal and watching TV in bed then go for it. If lighting a candle, reading a book and saying no to going out on an evening is what you want to do then again go for it. There are no rules and no-one to tell you what to do or how to behave - you are unique, your situation is unique and how you manage your life is unique to you.
As someone who suffers from SAD (seasonal affective disorder) I find the short days hard. I have learnt over the years that being hard on myself for not being as productive as I usually am during these months only damages my wellbeing and happiness. Give yourself a break, use this time to reconvene, consider and re-group, ready for the year ahead.
Slowing down during these months is fine., let go of any guilt. Winter isn’t forever - think of it as time to conserving energy, working on your inner self so that when the weather gets better, the nights get lighter, you can feel refreshed and energised.
Think like a tree. No I am serious. Trees use winter as a time to recharge and get ready to grow new leaves and flourish in spring. They use this time to put more roots down, feeding themselves and nourishing their trunks, so they can put on a beautiful display in summer.
Self care is paramount during this period. Long baths, face masks, gentle walks when it is sunny - and even in the rain, wearing lots of layers and a pair of good wellies! All of these things are ways we can embrace the season, taking care of our bodies and nurturing our minds.
Find some good books or TV shows, arrange some coffee dates with friends. Find a new place to walk the dog. Try get outside a few times a week. Plan something fun. Whatever you need to do - do it without question.
Be kind with yourself and know that this time will pass. Try to embrace it, life is short and wishing it away cheats us out of finding any joy in what can be an essential season of life. Look for beauty in every day - look for sunrises, sunsets, birds, clouds, misty mornings. Write about it in your journal - I am a huge believer of journalling. It doesn’t have to be reams and reams every day. Just write a lost of words if that’s all you can manage. 3 things you have noticed today, 3 things you are grateful for, 3 hobbies you would like to try, 3 places you would like to visit - you get the idea.
Lastly don’t set yourself unachievable or unrealistic goals. All this does is set yourself up for failure because by the middle of January you have given up! Goals are my speciality and I can help you with this. Think small, achievable and then break them down into bitesized chunks. Work on 1 chunk at a time. My favourite saying comes in here - How do you eat and elephant? One bite at a time.
If you are struggling then I am here - get in touch today. We can work on SAD, goals and surviving winter together. Life can be vibrant - even in the depths of winter!!
Love Helen x