Dealing with the Winter Blues?

The winter blues touch the lives of many, and the long anticipation of spring's arrival seems to prolong those feelings. I only go on Reddit.com occasionally, but I have seen others share how the dark skies this month have them emotionally struggling. Where I live, we haven't seen the sun in 30 days.

If this resonates with you, know you aren't alone.

If you find yourself feeling down more than up these days, here are some tips you can try to shift your mood.

Firstly, try increasing your dose of Vitamin D and take walks outside, even if it's raining. Fresh air, nature, and body movement are great ways to improve your mood. Secondly, turn on a high-intensity light in the room where you spend most of your time. I turn on every light I have in my office during daylight hours.

It's important to control your thoughts because they may generate temporary feelings of sadness. Instead of evaluating or fixating on negative thoughts, accept them and move on.

JUST STOP IT! 

It's easy to overthink and analyze late-night feelings, but they can be misleading. Stop yourself. Don't let Satan take control of your thoughts.

Look for events to get yourself out of the house. Last night I went to a new group for ladies - gentle yoga called phoga. I focused on stretching and breathing along with 20 or so other ladies I'd never met before. I felt so good after, I went on Facebook to search for other events in my area over the next two months.

RECOGNIZING NEEDS

Feelings can be difficult to handle, especially during the winter months when our mood tends to be low. However, they can also serve as indicators of our needs. Our emotions can help us identify something that is missing in our lives and guide us toward taking new steps to fill the gaps. 

It's a good idea to ask God for his opinion on what might be missing and for suggestions on how to fill the gaps. (While it's important to wait on God, it's equally important to take new small steps.) 

WRITE OUT YOUR THOUGHTS

It can be beneficial for some people to write down their emotions or make a vision board that reflects their feelings. However, it's important not to dwell on negative emotions. 

It's important to note that what we concentrate on tends to grow, hence, it's better to acknowledge our emotions and shift our focus towards more positive thoughts. If you create a vision board or art piece that represents negative emotions, it's recommended to follow it up with a positive one that represents the opposite. 

Choose words and photos that bring a spark of joy. I have created this with a word cloud generator. Try it for yourself here: 

Get to Know Yourself

I'm reading Dr. Caroline Leaf's book The Perfect You. I'm not quite ready to recommend it because it is a rather difficult book to digest. My goal with it is to identify my personality better and embrace the good parts of it. 

I know I am a melancholic who feels deeply. I overthink. I'm a bit of a perfectionist. I've been told I'm hard on myself. It doesn't matter the root causes, especially, what matters to me is coming to terms with the idea that it is how God created me and being aware how these traits affect my feelings and choices. They'll help me be on my guard. They'll help me make better choices. 

Beyond these ideas are many more. Let me know the tips and tricks you use to get through the dark-sky days of winter.  And until winter passes, trust the Lord, do your best, and go easy on yourself.