Four Ways to Beat Winter Blues and Start the New Year Fresh

After the decorations come down and the holiday cheer fades away, the reality of winter sets in. The long, cold and dark days can quickly become depressing and uninspiring. But there’s no need to wallow in sadness until spring arrives! Here are four ways to beat the winter blues and start the new year as you mean to continue it:

1. Change Your Routine

It’s easy to get stuck in the same patterns during the winter months, especially when the things we can do in our leisure time are limited by factors like the weather, lack of daylight or other winter delights. This can lead us to fall into the same emotional patterns too. However, changing your routine doesn’t have to be a major upheaval – small changes are enough to inject a sense of novelty and rejuvenation into your day.

For example, if you eat lunch at your desk, go to a local café once or twice a week. Get off the bus or train early and walk the last couple of blocks home. If you already walk home, vary your route. Take up a new hobby or browse your local listings for evening classes. If you have a partner or close friend, talk to them about taking up joint activities. Dancing classes can be a fun way to dance away the winter cold. So, make a few small changes in your routine and open up a new world of experiences waiting for you.

2. Get Moving

Exercise has a multitude of physical and emotional benefits. Among the many side benefits of exercise, it improves your mood and energy levels, leaving you feeling happier and more relaxed. The main condition of ‘get moving’ is that it’s fun. Punishing yourself with 10K runs on Sunday mornings might be some people’s idea of a good time, but most of us would rather ditch the trainers and stay in bed. So, do the things that motivate you instead of following the conventional way of exercise.

Whether it’s dancing around your living room to your favorite tunes, attending a local Zumba class, or enjoying a slow walk through a park, any type of movement will help to boost your mood and keep you motivated. Even just a few minutes of movement a day is enough to make a difference.

3. Keep a Journal

Journaling is one of the most valuable personal development tools around, and it doesn’t cost you a cent. If you’ve never journaled before, the idea of starting a daily or weekly practice might feel daunting, but the great thing about journaling is that it can be whatever you want it to be. Journaling is traditionally done using pen and paper, but you can use drawing, painting, collage, or even music as your medium.

A few suggestions to explore for the types of journaling you can try are listed below:

– Gratitude journal: Write down 5-10 things you’re grateful for from the day that just passed.
– A “have done” list: The perfect antidote to endless to-do lists, a have-done list involves writing down everything you’ve accomplished that day or week, big and small.
– Morning Pages: Write stream-of-consciousness for three pages of your journal (or about 750 words). If you think it, it goes on paper. This exercise from “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron encourages your internal dialogue to come out, cracks through your defenses, and helps reveal your true thoughts and feelings.

Journaling regularly can help you gain clarity about your thoughts and feelings, set goals, and work through emotional challenges. You may be surprised how much better you feel after just a few minutes of writing each day.

4. Connect

Connecting with like-minded, supportive people is a fantastic way of reclaiming our mojo. Who we surround ourselves with deeply impacts our levels of happiness and satisfaction. Choose one or two people from your circle of friends who are cheerleaders – people who are accepting, encouraging, and inspiring – and make a plan to schedule regular meet-ups or conversations with them.

If you find it hard to identify these people within your existing group of friends, use this as a chance to branch out. Taking up a new hobby (see idea no. 1) or attending a new exercise class (idea no. 2) can be great ways of meeting new friends who share similar interests. By spending time with positive, uplifting people, you can create a supportive community that will help you stay motivated and focused during the winter months.

In conclusion, don’t let the winter blues get you down. By making small changes to your routine, exercising in fun and enjoyable ways, journaling, and connecting with supportive people, you can boost your mood and energy levels, and start the new year off on the right foot.