Beat the Winter Blues with these eight easy tips below 🙂 Beating the Winter Blues has been super high on my list this winter – they are a real thing!! Especially with the pandemic still in full swing and being home more than ever!
Beat the Winter Blues Tip #1:
GET OUTDOORS!
The beach isn’t just for summer 🙂 If you live near the beach, Go!! Soak up the sun (Vitamin D!) and the negative ions! They’re good for you and work magic in beating the Winter Blues!
Bring your pet if you have one and just breathe in the fresh air. Just be sure to bundle up and bring your sunglasses 🙂
If its WAY too cold, even just driving to the beach can boost your mood and overall spirit.
And if you don’t live near the beach, hop in the car and take a drive to your favorite outdoor spot.
Beat the Winter Blues Tip #2:
“CLEAN YOUR ROOM!” (but not really).
This doesn’t mean to literally clean your room but by all means, if it needs it, clean it! 🙂 “Clean Your Room” is a joke that my brother and I have. Anytime our life feels out of order in any way, we joke that it’s time to “clean our room”! This means, take care of your sh%t.
You know all those things nagging at the back of your mind that you have to do? Those little annoying things that you’re ignoring. DO THEM. Write them allll down on a piece of paper to get them out of your head. Now prioritize based on importance and get ’em done!! I’ll be your accountability buddy 🙂 Do it!
Beat the Winter Blues Tip #3:
ADD SOME HYGGE TO YOUR WORLD
The Scandinavians live through a mostly dark winter. They have this term “hygge” that loosely translates to “cozy” in English.
Try adding a little hygge into your home by lighting candles, surrounding yourself with warm, fluffy blankets, beautiful books and anything that bring you JOY!
Here are some simple ways to add Hygge to your life:
candles: https://amzn.to/3iO8ZlU
blankets: https://amzn.to/3p7cRk0
one of my favorite teas: https://amzn.to/3iRprBL
Beat the Winter Blues Tip #4:
GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY
Getting your hands in the soil can do wonders for the mind and body. Of course with winter, it’s harder to garden outdoors so….Bring it inside 🙂
You can play with indoor plants, flower arranging, seed starting and succulent gardens! This is one of my absolute favorite things to do during winter! If you would like to see more detailed blog posts on any of these, please comment below and I am happy to elaborate 🙂
Also – here is a post I wrote on how to make your own wreath using dried flowers. You can pick up grocery store flowers and give your front door a refresh: https://alwayselaina.com/how-to-make-a-gorgeous-dried-flower-wreath/
Beat the Winter Blues Tip #5:
PICK UP A WINTER HOBBY!
There are so many fun hobby ideas to try! Here are some from my list:
~Learn an instrument. I have been taking piano lessons and I love it! If you have ever wanted to learn an instrument, it’s easier now than ever to learn virtually!
~Take an art class. My local library has virtual art classes (they used to be in person pre-pandemic) and they are great! Watercolor was my fave 🙂
Paint by numbers and Glass Art are also now all the rage 🙂 I’ve ordered this Glass Art kit from Amazon and am waiting for it to arrive. No class needed! Here is a link to the one that I purchased: https://amzn.to/3iTitMH
~Learn to knit or crochet. I knitted a bit in college and my great-grandmother taught me how to crochet when I was small. I wish I remembered how to do either one! Thankfully, there are so many free tutorials on YouTube to get you going 🙂
~Cooking. My college roomie and I have started a virtual “cookbook club” 🙂 We have each sent each other our favorite cookbooks via Amazon and are now collaborating on different recipe ideas 🙂 It’s added SO much fun to family dinner planning!
These are the two cookbooks we’re currently using: https://amzn.to/36g0KtU and https://amzn.to/3sWTc93. If you buy either one, let me know and I’ll share the recipes that we’ve tried so far! 🙂
~Hiking. I love walking in nature which hiking is essentially a fancy word for 🙂 I have joined some local hiking groups on social media to learn some hidden gems and have downloaded the ALLTRAILS app which is phenomenal to find local trails wherever you live.
Beat the Winter Blues Tip #6:
SCHEDULE ‘WALK AND TALKS”
Every day I schedule a virtual “walk and talk” with a friend. We both lace up our sneaks, pop in our earbuds and walk our neighborhoods while we catch up.
This helps me MAJORLY with eliminating that isolating feeling of winter. Camaraderie and contact (even virtual!) with other humans is so important! 🙂
These are EVERYTHING and have changed my walk and talk game!! 🙂 https://amzn.to/39h9yBz. AND they are a godsend at night while I am listening to podcasts! Not sure why I resisted them for so long!
Beat the Winter Blues Tip #7:
EAT WELL
Eating well and preparing nutritious foods can really help my mood!
I joined Noom a few weeks ago and I LOVE IT!! They categorize foods by color (green, yellow, red) based on calorie density. No foods are off limits and it has REALLY changed the way I look at my meals.
The program is simple and supportive and most importantly for me, focuses on the PSYCHOLOGY of eating. Game CHANGER.
Added bonus, I’ve shed six pounds without feeling deprived AT ALL.
The paid version pairs you up with a 1×1 Coach (you text via the app) as well as places you in a small chat group (40 people) with a coach moderator that prompts conversation (also via the app).
If you want to check it out, here is a link: https://bit.ly/36isv58
Beat the Winter Blues Tip #8
MOVE YOUR BODY
Walk, hike, lift some weights, yoga, dance…Just do SOMETHING! And don’t worry about working out for an hour or even thirty minutes! Just doing something for a few minutes a day will have compound effects 🙂 Start with five or ten minutes if you haven’t been working out. It’s better than nothing!
I am using the FitOn app and I loveeeee it!
I also love the free “Yoga With Adriene” videos on YouTube. She’s great!
Here is some basic equipment which is all you’ll really need to get started:
Hand-weights: https://amzn.to/3opKM6t
FINAL THOUGHTS 🙂
Just a quick note/reminder that I am not a medical doctor and am just sharing ideas that have been inspiring me and helping me beat the Winter Blues.
If there are any ideas noted here that you would like me to expand on, please let me know. I am always looking for feedback on new blog posts that you would enjoy!!
Thank you for joining me here on the blog and I look forward to hearing your thoughts!!! See you in the next one!
xoxoxo always, Elaina