Winter can be a difficult time of year for many given the cold, short days, lack of sunlight, and the stress of the holidays. Where spring feels like a time of new beginnings and hope, winter seems to drag on. Though it isn’t necessarily easy, learning to not only survive, but thrive in winter is incredibly important! Here are a few things I try to remember or do to make the season a little brighter.
1) Practice being mindful
Learning mindfulness isn’t always easy, and has taken me a long time, but is incredibly helpful. My therapist once told me to ask myself if what I thought I was feeling was true and if that feeling was helpful. For example: you think you’re feeling angry but when you ask yourself if that’s true, maybe you discover that you’re actually feeling sad or hurt. If the answer to “Is it true?” is yes, then ask if that feeling is helpful or if maybe you can shift your mindset slightly. Maybe you’re feeling lonely but when asking if that’s helpful, you decide you could call someone you love so you feel better. Learning to be mindful of your emotions this way is a great tool for managing emotional well-being. Practicing mindfulness can also help you to enjoy the good things in life even more and make changes when you aren’t feeling so good. Being able to analyze your thoughts and feelings and only giving them the power they deserve is key to managing the dread and depression you may be feeling during this winter season.
2) Find a Routine
As someone who’s struggled with mental illness for many years, I’ve always found that having a routine is the optimal way to feel mentally strong and healthy. For me, a routine starts with my sleep schedule — going to bed at a reasonable time every night and not sleeping in too late. A big part of my routine is doing some type of physical exercise every day. I’ve found that yoga is absolutely incredible for feeling healthy and managing mental health because it’s gentle and intentional. Schedule time for self-care in your routine and try to avoid stressors like school, work, and social media during designated times. I always make sure to include spending time with friends or family in my schedule as well. Finding and sticking to a routine can be incredibly tough, but is unbelievably helpful in fighting seasonal depression.
Listen to good music
This is a must for me when it comes to making it through the winter: I am never not listening to music. Music has the power to change your mood and your energy like nothing else can. It can be nostalgic, it can create new good memories, and it can match truly any vibe you want to feel. This time of year, I love to listen to albums like Vince Guaraldi’s A Charlie Brown Christmas because it feels so nostalgic and like true winter joy. Slow, cold times in life are always a good time to find new music to fall in love with. Without a doubt, every difficult winter has been made so much better for me by some good music. I’ve included a playlist of some of my favorite songs to listen to this time of year.
FInd joy everywhere you can
I’ve found that a very large part of overcoming winter dread is mindset. This really goes for year-round as well. If you can focus on the good in everything, you will feel a lot more positive about life in general. It can be difficult to not fall into the trap of feeling down and out about everything so be patient with yourself- but you’ll start to get better at having a positive mindset the more you practice!
One of the ways I try to find joy in my life is by keeping a list in the notes app on my phone of all the little things in my life that make me happy. Some examples from my list are: the lights on the trees on UConn’s campus, when I go to a dining hall and they have curly fries, reading a book recommended to me by someone I love, the way my best friends make me laugh, having my nails freshly done, exploring new parts of Connecticut with my friends, finishing a big assignment, the list goes on. When I’m having a tough time, I like to go back and look at the people and things that make life worth it. You can find joy in the winter by trying to make the most of the season’s activities, as well! Plan cute winter outfits, get seasonal drinks from coffee shops you can’t get any other time of year, watch your favorite holiday movies, go look at Christmas lights, and spend extra time with your family and friends. Finding joy in companionship is always rewarding. There’s a lot of joy and excitement hiding in the cold recesses of the winter season and spending time looking for the beautiful parts of life even when the feelings are getting overwhelming is so beneficial to not just surviving, but enjoying the winter.
COnclusion
The most important thing to remember is that the warmth will come again. Spring will start to come back in not too long and you’ll feel stronger as the weather gets warmer and the days get longer. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have hope and happiness now. Leaning on your routine, your friends and family, and focusing on your goals and health will help you feel okay despite the circumstances. This is advice for year-round, too- any time you’re starting to slip, you can lean on some extra tools to make life a little sweeter. Honor yourself and your feelings and put a little bit more time and effort into loving yourself and doing what makes you happy. Know above all else that everything will be okay.