Back in 2005 a UK travel company claimed to have identified the saddest day of the year: ‘Blue Monday‘, which is the third Monday in January.
Their formula married factors like weather, debt level and time passed since the holidays. No one’s too worried if that date is accurate, because we all get the point. By now most resolutions are distant memories and motivation has slowed to a trickle.
Read on for why winter can be a deck stacked against you. As you zoom out and see the big picture, it might shine a light on your next tiny step towards feeling better.
SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)
This is more than just a low mood here and there; it’s yearly depression that starts in fall and goes through winter. Believed to be triggered by lack of sunlight, months go by where things are noticeably harder.
Other Medical Conditions That Make You Sensitive to Cold
Low thyroid levels or Raynaud’s disease (poor circulation) can make you extra sensitive to cold weather. This may be you if you’ve considered throwing your pajamas in the dryer before bed to warm up. Shivering under a blanket all winter definitely doesn’t feel like thriving.
Post-holiday Crash
After all the planning and parties, with more sugar and less sleep, it can seem like there’s nothing to look forward to. You’ll feel slammed by this especially if you’re a people-person who’s been running on adrenaline.
Cabin Fever
Not getting the right mix of outside time with your inside time. Maybe you don’t have the right outdoor gear, and upgrading seems expensive, time consuming or overwhelming.
Keeping a Year-round Pace
We forget we’re part of nature, and can take cues from animals and plants. Just like you shouldn’t fertilize house plants year-round, we can’t always be going 9-0. There’s an art to getting the right amount of rest and activity, changing pace with the seasons. Some of this can be addressed simply, while other parts are harder to move the needle with.
Do what you can, use practitioners to help you (and if you have SAD, please reach out to trained therapists/doctors who can help you get your footing!).
Give yourself grace as you make changes; it probably won’t feel good when you start out.
I think winter’s a great time for a brain reset. Put away things that distract you and keep your attention skimming the surface from one thing to the next. Add in more simple activities that take you deep into concentration: meditation, knitting, cooking, a home project, whatever works.
When we use what we love to experience that deep level of concentration, the static fades and we start to enjoy life more. Add a dash of hygge (Danish winter coziness) or mys (the Swedish version), and enjoy this slower time with family and friends.
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