Today I’d like to offer some suggestions to help you survive and thrive in Winter. Blue Monday (supposedly the most depressing day of the year) is approaching so why not turn it around and embrace the good things about this season. I’ve talked previously about trying to enjoy and celebrate the seasons as they pass. In October I shared Seven Ways to Embrace Autumn and our Autumn Activi-tree.
How can I survive Winter?
Hibernate
Follow the ways of nature and use Winter time to bunker down and rest up. Plan lots of early nights and go easy on the social engagements. Let your body rest and restore over these colder months.
Duvet Day
Plan a duvet day – book a day off work or plan it for a weekend/day off. Gather your favourite books, magazines, movies and TV shows and spend a whole day not doing much. Wear your cosiest pyjamas and enjoy being snuggled up in the warm. I find this works especially well when I am feeling poorly or run down.
Look at what you’re putting in your body
Make sure you’re getting lots of nutrients from plenty of varied fruit and vegetables. I also find myself eating more garlic and ginger at this time of year to keep germs at bay.
Keep hydrated
If you’re struggling with drinking cold water why not switch to Hot Water and Lemon or herbal teas.
Stretch
If you’re not feeling as active as usual why not try some stretching instead? Pilates or yoga can make you feel surprisingly warm! I’m a massive fan of Yoga With Adriene’s free youtube yoga and she’s even got a 30 minute practice for all levels for the WINTER BLUES.
How can I thrive in Winter?
You might have your Winter survival sorted but why not take it a step further and find ways to thrive this season? Think about how you can get the best from these colder months and darker nights. Here’s some ideas to get you started…
Setting goals for the year ahead
Use this time to think about how you want 2018 to look. Grab some paper and pens and make a plan…
- What have you already got scheduled?
- What else do you want to do this year?
- In a year’s time if you were looking back what would you want to have achieved?
And don’t stop there – break your goals down into smaller steps and start making progress this week!
Plan some adventures
Have you got any breaks or holidays planned yet? If not – where do you want to go? If you are super organised and already have something booked – start looking into activities and places to visit while you’re there.
And if a summer holiday isn’t in your budget this year come up with ideas for days out and local activities. I love the idea of being a tourist in my own city and plan to come up with a list of local attractions to visit.
Look for signs of Spring
I love watching out for signs of the changing seasons. I plan to get out for lots of Winter walks (wrapped up warm of course) and will be looking out for signs of greenery and Spring getting nearer.
A great way to do this from the comfort of home is to buy some bulbs and watch them grow!
Have a clear out
New year, new start! How about having a declutter to make space for exciting new things? If it feels overwhelming start small – just one shelf or drawer. I always find that once I get started on a decluttering mission I’m keen to do more.
Wrap up warm
In the Artist’s Way one of the tasks is to buy yourself a luxurious item. It doesn’t have to break the bank. It just needs to feel luxurious to you. I purchased 2 pairs of bamboo cotton pink socks for about £5. They feel wonderful every time I wear them. Why not treat yourself to a new hat, scarf or gloves to help keep you cosy and warm this winter?
Take up a new hobby
If you’ve always wanted to learn hand lettering or cross stitch or crocheting why not start this Winter? You could find a local class or search on youtube where you can find video tutorials for most things! (With the added benefit of staying cosy and warm at home while you learn!)
Design a list of fun winter activities
Work your way through them before Easter. See my list below for ideas.
I’ve purposely created this list after Christmas. I find that there are lots of fun things to do on the lead-up to Christmas and then the months after can feel lacking in festivities. Enjoy some activities suitable for Winter that aren’t Santa related!
20 Winter Activities
1 Drink Hot chocolate
2 Have a Bubble Bath
3 Light Candles
4 Put up some Twinkly Lights
5 Games night (perhaps by candle and fairy light)
6 Build a blanket den/fort
7 Movies and popcorn
8 Watch a sunrise (without having to get up too early!)
9 Feed the birds
10 Pyjama day
11 Celebrate Valentine’s Day (make cards, have a heart themed breakfast)
12 Wear all the cosy things you can find and go for a bracing walk
13 Visit a local museum
14 If it snows play in it!
15 Bake something tasty
16 Make soup
17 Bake bread (helps keep the house warm and smelling delicious!)
18 Read a favourite book (snuggled under a blanket)
19 Write and post a letter to a friend
20 Have an indoor picnic (with all your baking!)
Many of the tips in my Autumn posts work just as well for Winter so be sure to check those out (here and here).
What activities do you like doing in Winter? How do you make sure you survive and thrive in Winter?