Winter is slowly but surely approaching us, and with the changing weather creeping in, the cold breeze is bound to bring in more than just some flurries. For some of us, winter is our favorite season. We count down the days until we can hit the slopes and feel the chill of the air on our faces or snuggle on the couch with a new book as snow falls outside our window.
For others, however, the thought of the temperature dropping below 50 degrees makes us want to move to Florida immediately. We would do anything to live in the summer all year long. What if we told you there was a solution to the dread of winter, a way to adapt and fall in love with this transition in time?
“To survive the seasons, you must change with them.” -Unknown.
Keeping the same routine as you did in the summer or even fall will make you both bored of your day-to-day life and leave you feeling nostalgic for the previous season. Look at it this way; the Earth changes its weather throughout the year in order to grow and transition. Now, think of yourself the same way.
In order to move and grow through the year, you must change and adapt to new things as it progresses … and the weather is your sign to do so. For some people, the warmer weather tends to bring out the happier and more positive version of themselves, while the wintertime brings them into a somewhat depressive and lonely state. The secret is that there are ways to adapt to the colder weather to help combat seasonal depression.
The Art of Slowing Down
As the weather gets colder, the days get shorter, which often makes us feel as though the days are all the same and there is no real meaning between each. One way to handle this is to tweak your morning and night routines. Learn to take them slower and more peacefully. If that means waking up a little earlier to have time to make breakfast or journal, do it.
Carve out time in your day when you can take things slow. If you love drinking coffee or tea in the mornings but are always rushing out the door and taking it to go, create time for yourself to enjoy it. By waking up a little earlier, you could have that moment of peace where you can sit with yourself, take in one of your favorite moments and prep yourself for the day ahead.
The same goes for your nighttime routine as well. If you have homework to complete but sit on your phone all evening until 10 or 11 pm when you finally start it, you are going to stress yourself out much more and lose that time for unwinding before you go to bed. Try doing your homework right when you get home so that you have time before bed to take a long shower, do your skincare, and read or journal. Your mind will be at peace before falling asleep and you’ll end the day with a better mindset for tomorrow.
Move Your Body
Another key part of staying happy in the cold months ahead is daily movement. It is much easier to find an excuse to stay inside and lay on the couch when the weather is chilly, but it is so important to prioritize moving your body. This does not mean you have to do an intense workout every day, but a quick gym session, walk outside or even a ten-minute yoga video on YouTube will do the trick.
Anything you can do, even just for a little part of the day, to get your body moving will help improve both your health and your mindset. Working out is a great way to clear your mind and do something only for yourself. This winter, take time to do an activity that makes your body feel good.
How About a Hobby?
In the spirit of new things, picking up a new hobby you are excited to try can help enhance your weeks. There are plenty of activities you can partake in that are simple to pick up, especially ones in the comfort of the indoors. Try out a new workout class you can go to once a week or maybe you want to start taking an art or writing class.
You can get in touch with your creative side and pick up knitting, crocheting, or testing out new recipes. Maybe you crave to be outside more, and luckily for you, the winter has many sports and activities you can try. There is skiing, snowboarding, ice skating and even snowshoeing. Your options at honestly endless, there is surely something you would be into.
Embrace The Holiday Spirit
The holidays are all about reconnecting with the people you love. There are certain relationships in your life that can bring you so much joy, take this season to spend time with those people. The weeks can go by without seeing anyone, so our suggestion is to set certain dates ahead of time when you both agree to be together.
You can arrange a movie night, dinner party or even a cookie day and host your all friends! This will give you the excuse to decorate for the holidays and make your space festive and cozy! Friendships can be hard to maintain, especially when it gets too chilly to leave the house, but making the people you love a priority in your life will be worth the walk in the cold!
Adjusting Into the Winter
By leaning into the colder weather and embracing the changing of seasons, your mindset and body will be much happier this winter. Allow yourself to enjoy the cold evening and bundle up on the couch with your favorite movie or new book. Embrace the slowness of winter and carve time out of your day to take it slow.
Create peaceful moments for yourself that are filled with joy and contentment. This will not come naturally; you may need to do some adjusting to your schedule or willingness to try something new but trust us it will be worth it. You do not have to hate the winter. The seasons are changing, and so can you.
Tag us on Instagram, @VALLEYmag, with pics of your favorite parts of winter!
