The short days of the darker winter months lay ahead and I find myself reaching for my mental tools. The ones honed after a lifetime of navigating these literal seasons. How can I brace my body and mind for a stretch of months I know are important for rest and yet can often be so trying. Thankfully I have learned a few things over the years.
My loose and flexible plan consists of:
1). I try to get 15+ minutes of fresh air every day. I have found, for me, this is just as effective if not more so than using a light therapy box. Put on a coat, put on some warm shoes, grab an umbrella (yes, my coats have hoods, but nobody likes a wet face, I go ahead and use the umbrella and maybe even have one in a fun color or pattern if it suits me), set a timer and get outside. I get outside for as long as I can, every day if I can. Of course there will be days one wants to pass on this, on those days, I bundle up in a warm coat or blanket and stand just outside the doorway. I try to leave screens out of it if possible and let my mind wander. But often, especially if I'm going for a longer walk, it helps to listen to music or an audiobook/program. Fifteen minutes passes in a blink. Taking some deep breaths you feel your body start to relax. I set 15 minutes as my minimum and on my busier or more tired days this is enough. But generally I find I crave even more time outside.
2). I try to read twenty minutes a day. So many of us are out of the habit of reading with so many readily available screens to capture our attention. Capture and dilute. Capture and diminish. Reading lights up parts of the brain that screens cannot. Reading helps us focus and think creatively, effectively, and efficiently in other parts of our lives. Reading helps us de-stress, de-tox, reset and recover. Reading is a great way to break up the longer evenings and darker nights of the late fall and winter months. I've found it to be very settling.
3). I try to learn something new or fine tune/step up something I've been learning. This can be anything. A language. Cooking or making something new. Learning to use a computer program or internet application. Crafting, building, garden research, photography, or fitness. If I try something new, don’t enjoy it, I try something else. Giving my mind and body something to do is a positive way to direct my energy.
4). I get my calendar out and plan some, “Look Forward To’s”. These don’t have to be trips or expensive events. I plan a walk with a friend, an outing with a family member or a small gathering in or outside of our home. I pllan a movie night or plan to cook a meal or when to plant things. Having concrete things to look forward to really helps me move through the darker months.
5). I look for positive things to focus on. I reset my thoughts a bit. I try to replace negative words like, “gloomy” with more poetic words like "moody”, or dare I suggest a stretch to, "cozy". Not feeling that enthusiastic? I replace negative thoughts and words with neutral words. It’s not gloomy, it’s simply dark. It’s not a gross day, it’s simply raining. I try to remember, what you tell yourself becomes true. If I tell myself it’s miserable every day, I will become miserable. If I tell myself I hate the winter months every day, that negativity will seep into other parts of my thinking and definitely affect my mood. Depending on where you live, the darker months will be anywhere from ¼ or ½ of your year. This translates to ¼ or ½ of your life. I definitely don't want to be miserable for half my life. I can choose something different. So, I look for and notice the things I DO like during this season. I like warm drinks, and the glow of street lamps on dark afternoons. I like the way frozen puddles crunch when you step on the edges of them. I like soup, pajama sets, socks, and the way warm air puffs white on cold days. If I look for things I like on unlikable days, both obvious and not, I start noticing of them and it changes the day.
6). I light a lot of candles and turn on lamps. A warm cast of light just makes a huge difference in how the house feels. Welcoming and warm - in an emotional way.
These are all pretty basic, but somehow they have all helped me immensely.
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