Here’s 10 more way to beat the winter blues to help make the winter months enjoyable or at least tolerable.
- treat yourself – Instead of locking yourself away and doing nothing, treat yourself to a day at the spa, night out with friends or even purchase something entertaining for the house.
- embrace winter – there are so many wonderful winter activities. Dress properly and get outside to enjoy some skating, skiing, snow hikes, snowshoeing, snowman or snow fort building. Winter was fun as a kid, why not now?
- sad light therapy – if you aren’t getting the proper amount of sunlight there are sad light therapies that really make a difference.
- attitude & gratitude – think positive and stop complaining. Attitude is everything and can be amplified if you are grateful for the things you have. After all, if you are reading this, it’s likely you are in the top 15% of the worlds richest (don’t believe me, try it). You are lucky. It’s perspective.
- find a support group – there are many support groups and resources to help with your depression, both online and off. Connecting with others by sharing your issues is a great way to understand your issues and learn that you are not alone.
- volunteer – the added benefit of volunteering is the help you are giving your community, connections you are making and skills you are learning.
- music – listen to more lively and uplifting music, we tend to gravitate to music that fits our mood, so our choices when we are down can be melancholy and less up beat. Step it up a notch and change things around.
- comfort – create a nice environment in your home, read a nice book and stay warm by the fire
- acceptance – accept life and the seasons for what they are. Winter is not going away and it will return. Learning to accept the way things are is one of the first steps taught in most “life courses” to teach you how to cope.
- holiday – take a vacation. If you need to get away from it all and have the ability, take a vacation away in the sun. Even a mini get-away in the winter can give you a little more zest for life. Visit with out of town friends or take a drive for the weekend to a nice location away from your home town.
There are so many things you can focus on, instead of your depression and woes. Try to focus on the things you can do, don’t linger on things that are out of your control. And let’s face it, winter is inevitable. Embrace it instead and beat your winter blues.