We all need to take care of ourselves (I’m terrible at self-care) and even more so this year. A global pandemic takes its toll on everyone. Add to that the standard Winter Blues, aka SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), and many of us need a little pick-me-up right now.
According to the Mayo Clinic, If you’re like most people with SAD, your symptoms start in the fall and continue into the winter months, sapping your energy and making you feel moody. Less often, SAD causes depression in the spring or early summer. …Don’t brush off that yearly feeling as simply a case of the “winter blues” or a seasonal funk that you have to tough out on your own. Take steps to keep your mood and motivation steady throughout the year.
“Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) – Symptoms and Causes.” Mayo Clinic, 2017, http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20364651.
Sometimes it only takes a little something to raise a smile and boost your mood. Buy yourself a new facemask. There are literally hundreds of sellers on Etsy with all sorts of cute patterns. I sew and sell them too. Going into the holidays I made myself a cute mask with a snowman scene on one side and the reverse was warm flannel. Between the two I had what boosted my mood to hold me on an even keel for my students. You can check out our mask sales, a little something to make you and others smile is priceless.
Exercise is amazing! Endorphins flood you when you exercise. During warm weather, I love to lose my stress on a good trail run. When it’s twenty degrees, dark and icy after work, it’s a bit hard to go for a run. Snowshoeing could work except for the dark and the cold.
Receiving a fun package in the mail might be just what you want. Cratejoy has amazing subscription boxes. In fact, ours will be on there soon.
As I wrote about in this review, we have enjoyed a face mask subscription box. We may switch it up for a different spa box. One like this, maybe with a little bit of everything:
Some of my favorite ways to brighten my mood is by bringing summer in. Right about January first I start receiving the seed catalogs and I can almost smell that garden soil. Last year I began using a pop-up style greenhouse to get a headstart for the garden. I hope to do this again this year and focus more of the plants for salves and teas.
I also like the idea of bringing bright plants inside, so for many, a subscription box would be easier. Everytime I see this succulent box, it calls my name,I swear it does. That, and a friend of mine receives a new succulent every month and gushes about them.
Wine is always helpful for me to unwind while cooking dinner, and sometimes while reading. A box like this lets you sample different wines. I personally like reds, but I’m always open to tasting others.
If you prefer a different desire to relax with wine, try OneHope. These wines each support a charity, a bottle of one might support cancer research another might support educational foundations. Moreover they are often sold during fundraising parties which also supports a charity. I hosted one of these (virtual) parties for my local foodbank. I chose several bottles of wine because I thought they would taste good, but also another bottle based on the charity it supported as a gift for another.
Often a nap would be most beneficial, but unlikely to happen. Eating well can give a boost of confidence for a few minutes and, can make you feel better in the long term.
De-cluttering a specific eyesore in your home can help, too. Just removing the irritation of seeing the clutter helps alleviate your mood. But more than that, you raise your happiness by making the space pleasing.
