Winter can be a serious drag. Freezing temperatures. Short days. Dry skin. What’s to like, right? Don’t let the frigid days get the best of you!
Instead of hibernating, longing for warmer times, and complaining about the arctic conditions outside your door, find a way to embrace the cold. Here are some easy things you can do to beat the winter blues and maybe even enjoy the season…
Eat!
Winter is the perfect season for soups, stews and other hearty dishes and nothing takes the winter chill away like coming home to some hot, comforting food. Throw some ingredients into a slow-cooker or crock pot and you will have a healthy meal ready to warm you up after a long, cold day. Here are some great recipe ideas that take minutes to put together!
Go shopping!
It’s simple. When you look good, you feel good! And lucky for you, post-holiday sales are everywhere this time of year, making winter a great time to find some awesome deals on sweaters, boots and coats. And with plenty of wintry days ahead, your cold-weather fashion finds will most definitely be put to good use! Too cold to leave the house to shop? You can even find great savings online at retailers offering clearance sales.
Drink!
Water that is, and lots of it. Drinking is so important during these driest of days. Proper hydration keeps your skin softer, helps you stave off illness, aids digestion and fights fatigue, but when it’s freezing outside the last thing you feel like doing is chugging something cold! Winter is the perfect time to try out some flavored hot teas that can help you hydrate and keep warm at the same time!
Get moving!
It may be hard to get out from under that cozy blanket, but exercising even for just a few minutes a day can help boost endorphins and raise your spirits. You can even do this without leaving your warm house! Purchase a great at-home work out video: check out Fitness Magazine’s list of 10 Best Workout DVDs! You can also check out online sites like Thinqfitness.com and Gaiamtv.com, which offer a wide range of free exercise videos based on your fitness level and the amount of time you want to spend.
Think about your hopes and dreams!
Use this time when it’s too cold to go outside to sit down and think. Life Coach Phyllis Mufson recommends setting some time aside for taking stock of your life, celebrating your accomplishments, and making plans for changes in the areas of your life where you’d like to feel more happy and fulfilled. She suggests doing a Personal Retreat, a rejuvenating morning or afternoon for life planning, where you ask yourself questions like:
- What were your finest moments over the past year?
- What were your biggest disappointments?
- What did you learn and what would you like to do differently?
- What are your personal values – and how well are you living your values?
- How satisfied are you in the different areas/roles of your life? Career? Friends/family? Fun/recreation? Health? Finance? Personal growth? Physical environment? Romance/significant other? Or other areas?
- Which area(s) of your life will be your major focus?
- How can you give yourself structure and support to ensure you achieve your goals?
Mufson says, whether or not you answer every question in detail, allowing yourself time to reflect is a relaxing and rejuvenating process that will help you have a deeper sense of who you are and your purpose.
Be creative! You might feel like there is nothing to do during these long winter months when you’re stuck inside, but with a little creativity you can prevent cabin fever. Invite a few friends over and host an indoor picnic, have a movie-marathon or a DIY beauty day. Check out this list of 50 things to do when it’s cold outside and you will see that the possibilities are endless!
Jessica Puterbaugh is a communications professional, sleepless mother of two and a long-time survivor of the winter blues.