Staying Bright in Darker Months

The winter is no joke! The sun literally rises and sets within a shorter window through the winter months than the rest of the year. The days are cold, dark, often wet. If they’re bright, it may be because of snow on the ground! You might start to feel a little trapped by all this after awhile, and find your mood is low. This low could be some depression, or it might be anxiety…possibly a combination of both. Is it possible to stay bright in darker months?

I do believe you can stay content and enjoy your days, even in winter.

You might have to be more intentional about some things. Yet, it’s possible that you can enjoy February as much as July. I can share some intentional practices clients have reported finding useful in their winter resilience. I’ll add in a favourite of mine as well!

I do think it’s important to first validate that experience and felt need to slow down a little during the shorter, colder months. Some animals hibernate…their bodies need sleep, rest. There are a lot of productive elements to resting.

Similarly, it’s very okay (important, even) and even encouraged for humans to do the same. You might notice you crave soups, stews, tea or other warmer foods/drinks. My crockpot gets used more over a couple of really cold winter months, than it does in Spring and Summer, combined! You may want to cuddle under a blanket and read that book for longer than usual, or have a quiet weekend more often through the winter.

I invite you to listen to your body, it is wise.

You might find intentionally getting to bed earlier, to be helpful. This isn’t intended as an opportunity to scroll a little longer on that phone. Rather, put your phone outside the bedroom, or across the room if you really need to have it in there. Give your eyes, brain and heart a break and take a breather from it. Getting to bed early might mean you have a few moments to practice grounding. Deep belly breaths in and out are a beautiful way to enter into rest.

Alternatively, you might take up journaling – even if it’s just a few words, thoughts or some gratitude from your day. Your journal might serve as a healthy place to list-make…this can relieve your brain from holding the to-do list for tomorrow. Doodling can offer some cathartic, calming release and is a healthy way to allow your right brain to have some air time. If you’re like a lot of people, you spend much time in your left brain analyzing and thinking. Your right brain is that creative side.

Speaking of creativity – winter days call for any sort of creativity to keep those juices flowing. As the least artistic person on earth, I do love spending time baking! When you can use your right brain and give that left brain (the more analytical part of yourself) a break, you’ll likely feel a bit of reprieve. It’s not hard to become so intent on whatever is causing discomfort or distress, that to give yourself (and your nervous system) a break, can be overlooked.

Maybe you don’t enjoy being in the kitchen, but what about an adult colouring book, crocheting or knitting, building…anything that gets you out of that analytical part is restorative. I invite you to consider a new hobby. Giving yourself something to look forward to can also help brighten your days and these darker months.

If you like to move your body and have found that helpful in the past, try getting outside.

You don’t have to talk a 5km, to shift your mood. Studies have found that just a five to ten minute walk around the block can bring about a shift in perspective. Physically, you’ll improve blood flow within your physical body, you can lower cortisol levels, you get to shift your perspective and calm your nervous system with some deep breaths. You’ll also find that if you commonly sit in front of a screen, allowing your eye to focus on various depths (near and far) when you’re outside is incredibly refreshing. These could be the best 5 minutes of your day!

The winter days can be some cause for distress – you know they’re coming and you know how you usually navigate them. I invite you into a new perspective of how to approach them. Even taking a s

lightly different approach can shift your experience of winter enough, that you notice a softening to it. Finally, talking about how you’re feeling is very helpful. Having someone who can provide a biased perspective, sit with you though the hard, and provide some tools to support you can feel incredibly healing. I invite you to reach out and connect – I offer online and in-person (Langley) appointments throughout the week.