As much as going inward and resting during the winter months sounds peaceful and appealing, you're likely to experience some serious cabin fever at some point... especially during these times. And that's totally normal babe! Personally, I'm pretty over spending one dark day after another indoors once February hits. If you're feeling especially lonely, low energy and down in the dumps, give these a try to uplift your spirit.
1. Buy yourself flowers.
You know that peaceful feeling you have when spring rolls around, and there's colorful explosions of flowers everywhere you look and everything just smells like flowers, soil and happiness? Why not bring that feeling indoors?! We've got some time before spring shows its lovely face, so until then, find the prettiest most fragrant flowers you can find and put them in a place where you will have to see them often. Remind yourself that even in these darker days, beauty still exists everywhere.
2. Seriously, take your Vitamin D.
Often times if someone tells me they're feeling low energy or a little sad and moody in the winter months, I always ask "are you taking your vitamin D?". When the sun is only out for 9 hours a day and you're spending 6 of them working indoors, getting adequate time in the sun can be challenging. Few food groups contain Vitamin D, so having vitamin D capsules or even a sun lamp could really help boost your levels and help battle a bad case of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). It's also a good time to check in with your body and make sure you're getting a healthy amount of other nutrients, like Magnesium, Folic Acid and Vitamin B.
3. Add adaptogens to your routine.
Sometimes we all just need a little boost. Research shows that adaptogens can help combat fatigue, enhance your mental performance and hold off depression and anxiety. My favorite way to take it currently is by swapping out my morning coffee for RASA Coffee Alternative (available here). There are many different types of adaptogens with different benefits, so you might want to do some research to find the right one for you. Popular ones include:
- Ashwagandha: To reduce stress and anxiety
- Goji Berry: To boost energy and mental performance, improve sleep
- Holy Basil: To reduce stress + anxiety and depression
Make sure to follow the dosing instructions of your chosen adaptogen correctly!
4. Tap into the healing power of aromatherapy.
Thank goodness for essential oils. When I'm feeling especially low energy, I love Sweet Orange, Peppermint, and Grapefruit in the diffuser to brighten my mood.
5. Shift your focus.
Winter may feel dead and grim, but it also the necessary for the rebirth cycle. When you think about this season as a promise of rebirth and growth, you can find gratitude in it instead of resisting it. Understanding that nothing, not even the winter time, is permanent gives us something to look forward to and be hopeful for. We can really tap into this time of respite and solitude to set intentions for our lives. Change happens in the slowness, even if it doesn't feel like it. And that's a beautiful thing!
I hope these methods help you navigate the winter months, and that you can find a way to welcome all of the quiet beauty this season has to offer ❤️