It is January and as winter really settles in, so can the winter blues. I know I’m not alone in this struggle. If you are looking for some ways to put a little spring in your step before spring arrives (total lame dad joke!), I’m sharing a list of ways that can help combat the grey and embrace the winter season.

I have found that especially in hard seasons of life, the blues are stronger and harder to beat. This was actually a large part of our decision to move to Tennessee from the PNW. The lure of enjoying 50 more days of sun than WA gets was really attractive. And, honestly, I am finding it to be true. We’ve gone out on walks as a family numerous times over the past few weeks and it is soul reviving.

There is something about waking up to sunny mornings that really helps my mental state and there seem to be a lot more of them here than at home - and for that I am grateful. However, Tennessee is certainly much drearier in the winter time than other months and so I’m still focusing on what I can do to set myself up for beating any winter blues that may come about. You certainly don’t have to move across the country to combat the blues, so here is a list of natural practices and habits to help. 

Permission To Embrace The Season

Working hard to recognize that the seasons happen for a reason and that our bodies are wired to work differently in each can grant you permission to understand that we aren’t designed to work the same in the summer as we are the winter. For the same reason that our gardens rest and animals hibernate - the season is a time of slow down. A time to re-energize with extra rest and to turn inward. Take a little time daily to embrace this idea and recognize the cues from your body. If you find you need a little more rest this time of year, give it to yourself. If you can’t squeeze in a nap during the week, allow yourself one on the weekends. Spend 5 minutes a day in quiet meditation. Take time to re-prioritize the things you say yes to in order to find a pace that makes sense for you right now. It is okay to slow down. I repeat, it is okay to slow down. 

Move Your Body In Ways That Make Sense

We all know that exercise is a good thing. Those endorphins are magical! The benefits are overwhelming for our minds and bodies. But, man oh man. I find this time of year to be really hard to grasp the motivation to really get myself moving like I do in the months of endless sunshine. However, the importance is great as ever. Find ways to move your body in ways that feel good and work for you. Things you will actually do and stick to!

Maybe you swap in more intense workout routines for movement through practices like yoga, pilates, walking, biking, swimming etc. These are all a little lower impact but just as beneficial. Another great trick to make sure you get moving, is to do it at home. If you struggle with dark, cold mornings inhibiting your motivation to get to the gym, roll out an exercise mat and grab an online workout to do in the comfort of your own home. I do yoga in my kitchen every single morning. Far from glamorous, but it gets me moving! Shoutout to Yoga With Adriene who is my yoga buddy every morning at 5am! Click on her photo for one of my favorite yoga sessions!

Practice A Gratitude List (including a free printable for you!)

This tip comes with a free gift! I challenge you to make a daily gratitude list. This can happen during time you might be journaling in the morning, during a lunch break or right before bed. It doesn’t matter. Setting aside 5 minutes a day to make a list of the things that happened in the last 24 hours that you were grateful for helps with the mindset shift more than you can imagine. All of the sudden grey days become days filled with cozy goodness. If you need a place to do this, click here for my free Daily Gratitude List Printable that I created just for you!

Increase The Hygge In Your Life

Did you know that people who live in Nordic countries report much lower rates of seasonal depression? The Danes deal with a great deal of the grey but instead of fighting it, they lean into it. Hygge is defined  as: a Danish cultural concept and value of warm, happy coziness, and togetherness, which people make time for in everyday life.  I think this is one of the most beautiful ways to approach life and especially the winter season. So, create cozy in your life and embrace it. You can up the hygge in your life through things like:

• Lighting candles

• Curling up in a blanket and reading

• Sipping a warm cup of tea and embracing the feeling in your hands

• Sitting by a fire

• Writing a handwritten card to a friend

• Create a Hyggekrog (a cozy corner) - a combination of a comfortable chair, a favorite blanket, a spot for a cup of tea and a candle make for a perfect spot

• Use lamps instead of overhead lights

• Get a cozy pair of slippers

• De-clutter and fill your space with only the things you love

I could write a whole blog post on this…but for now, you get the idea. If you’d like to read more about hygge, I loved The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking. 

Bring Life Indoors With Plants

I love the vibrance, texture and life that plants bring into a home. Fill those empty nooks with special varieties that you love. Alongside air purifying benefits, you might be surprised at just how much joy you receive from them. This time of year it can also be fun to use dried materials for their amazing texture and if you don’t have a green thumb - you can’t kill them!

Nourish Yourself With Warm Food

The cold can feel bone chilling and warming ourselves from the inside out can be really helpful. Turn to warm meals for nourishment and comfort. I love making large sheet pans of roasted root vegetables this time of year. Large pots of soup become staples and making double batches can be a nourishing gift to neighbors or loved ones as well. Homemade chai tea, golden milk or a homemade latte can become an experience if you just take the time to savor them. Take a weekend to bake some bread and enjoy it warm topped with salted butter.

I have to recognize my sweet friend, Lisa Samuel, who just put the most gorgeous cookbook out into the world! Room at the Table is filled with the ultimate nourishing meals and has so many that fit the bill to warm you from the inside out. This time of year, her Turmeric Chicken and Rice and her homemade Sourdough Biscuits are perfection! You’ve got to grab a copy for yourself, I know you will enjoy it just as much as I am.

Get Outside

Bundle up and get outside to breathe fresh air. Even though the rain can seem endless this time of year, find pockets of time where it isn’t absolutely pouring and just get outside and breathe. An easy walk can make a HUGE difference in your mindset and mood. Even better, throw on some rubber boots and find some puddles. You might just rediscover the childlike joy that comes with jumping in them. 

Stick To A Morning Routine

For four years now, I’ve had a solid morning routine that has been an absolute game changer. If you want the scoop on the details to create your own, take a read back to: Create A Life Changing Morning Routine. In the winter especially, waking up early can be extra hard. Creating a routine that sets you up for success is extra important and feeling the benefits of it will help you stick to it, even on cold, dark mornings. 

Get Lost In A Good Book

This is the perfect season to cozy up with a good book. Whether your best reading time is before bed, first thing in the morning or during nap time - carve out the time to get lost in a good book. Focusing our minds on stories and lessons elsewhere can help distract from the grey outside the window. Bonus if you curl up in a cozy blanket in your Hyggekrog.

Smile And Make Time For Laughter

When joy isn’t as automatic - create it! Whether you find this through Friends or The Office re-reuns, a book of jokes, silly memes or time with friends who make you laugh, make it happen. I challenge you to just force yourself to smile one time a day. When we smile our brain releases neuropeptides that help fight off stress. So, set aside the judgemental thoughts - no one is watching you. Sit alone and just smile and see what happens. Even better - if you feel so silly doing this, you may just end up laughing which will just double your benefits!

Brighten Up Your Environment

Because we tend to spend a lot more time inside this time of year, find ways to make your space feel fresh and light. Clear the clutter, get rid of things you don’t love and surround yourself with things that bring joy. Clutter tends to feel dark and heavy, open space feels light and airy. Open the blinds every morning and crack the window often to get fresh air flowing through. Hang a new mirror to add light to a room. Paint a fresh new coat of paint! There are lots of ways to do this and I encourage you to try one or many of them. 

Make A Mood Boosting Playlist

We all have those songs that can quickly turn our attitude around and make us want to dance. Create a playlist of these and play it when you need a boost. I find a favorite time to play this list is when doing chores - maybe while you are conquering some of the tasks above to brighten your environment?!  If you don’t want to take the time to make your own list, Spotify has many that are already done for you! Just play that music - it will make a difference!

Take Good Care Of Your Skin

Our skin can suffer this time of year along with our mindset. Spending some extra time nourishing our largest organ is really important. The number one tip is to hydrate from the inside out. Most of us don’t drink enough water, so increase your water consumption to half your body weight in ounces of water. (So if you are 150 lbs, drink 75 oz of water a day) 

To combat dry, dull skin I love applying a nice body butter to my whole body after my shower each morning. I wrap up in my favorite robe afterward so that it can dry while I get ready and isn’t too sticky when I get dressed. I recently found Little Seed Farm and am LOVING their products! Their Hand Aid is a favorite healing balm for very dry feet and hands. At nighttime apply this and pop some socks on your hands and feet. Let it do its job while you sleep. My nighttime routine also incorporates their Botanical Butter on my face and their Honey Lip Treatment. I wake up with happy, nourished skin.

Make Time With Friends

Don’t lose connection with those who support you during this time of year. Plan get togethers to revive your soul and remind you that you have a tribe. This can come in the form of a book club, a night out for cocktails, a movie night. It can be with one friend or a group. Find what feels good to you and cherish those relationships. 

Pour Into Your Hobbies

Hobbies bring a great deal of joy and pouring into them this time of year can really help. Whether you love to craft or play guitar, write poetry, knit or arrange flowers. Carve out time to do those activities that really nourish your soul. If you don’t have a hobby, this can be a good time of year to find one. Try out a few different ones and see what resonates with you. If you know me, flowers bring me such joy. I love to grab a few bunches from Trader Joes when I do my grocery shopping. When I come home I find so much happiness creating an arrangement that can adorn the center of our dining table. It allows me to find joy in the creating and then in the arrangement for days to come. Last year, Craig and I tried our hand at candle making and it was such a great source of bonding and fun.

Stick To A Sleep Routine

Our bodies need rest more than ever this time of year. Make sure you are getting those 8-9 precious hours a night. Things like putting your phone away 30 minutes before you hop in bed, reading, turning the lights down, lighting some candles and playing soft music can help you gradually move into relaxation mode and be prepared for a restful slumber. I recently created a sleep/wake up alarm on my phone and it has been really helpful. With this setting enabled, my phone will go into sleep mode and not sound any alerts as well as lock the screen an hour before bedtime until wake up time. It has been really helpful to eliminate the bad habit of looking at it before bed.

Take Your Vitamin D

We all know that Vitamin D is important. It helps with our mood, immune system, bone, brain and muscular function. Pretty vital right?! Make sure you are getting enough of it! Since it comes from the sun, supplementing during the dark times of year is important. Talk to you doctor to see what the proper dosage is for you alongside any other daily supplements that they recommend for optimum nutrients.

Use A Dawn Simulator Alarm Clock

I love to wake up with the sun. And this time of year, it doesn’t happen at the time I need it to. I’ve found that using a dawn simulating alarm clock can be helpful. I added this clock to our bedroom last year and instead of waking up and looking at my phone first thing, I wake up to a simulated sunrise. Pretty great!

Vacay Your Blues Away

Break up the grey with a trip to somewhere warm and sunny! Sometimes when the grey is just relentless, planning a trip somewhere that will give us a break from daily life as well as some sunshine is just the ticket. Having something on the calendar to look forward to can make those endlessly dreary days feel a little shorter. And the trip itself can truly be a reviver for your mind, body and heart. 

Move To A Climate With More Sun

Like I mentioned at the beginning, we moved across the country with more sunshine being one of the big reasons. Having spent our entire lives in the PNW, the constant grey of October-April is something we were used to. However, as I’ve gotten older, the winter blues really set in more and more each season and it began to feel extra terrible this past year. So, one of the most drastic changes you can make is to move to a climate with more sunshine. Every place has its pros and cons… like swapping earthquakes for tornadoes, but if building a life in a climate that makes better sense for you feels like a healthy move, I’d say, make the leap.

Friends, I hope this list helps you all find a little more joy in the dark months. Remember that seasons change for a reason and that it is okay to feel all of the feelings that come along with it. If the ideas above just aren’t working for you, please make sure to talk to your doctor for help with more serious seasonal depression. Sending you all love and sunny thoughts!