The days are finally starting to get longer, but there’s still a lot of winter ahead.
In many parts of the country, winter brings with it more cold, darkness, and gloomy weather. The holiday season can offer a helpful distraction from winter’s impact on our mood, but now that January has come, and summer still seems so far away, many people notice feeling more sad or anxious.
In her book, “Wintering,” published in 2020, Katherine May suggests that the solution isn’t to try to run away from those wintery feelings, but to lean into them. This approach is also supported by Mindfulness therapy.
It can be helpful for humans to “hibernate” by slowing down, getting plenty of rest, and accepting our sadness as a temporary but important emotion.
To slow down in winter, schedule more time for indoor, cozy activities like doing a puzzle by the fire, or reading a good book.
You can let the early darkness help motivate you to get in bed an hour before you would in the warmer months, giving yourself a chance to have more rest.
Finally, feeling sad and anxious in winter is normal. Acknowledging those emotions, and that feeling sad is not a bad thing, can help the feeling come and go more easily.
Practicing these “wintering” shifts can bring a new, more positive frame to the post-holiday winter slump. They might even help to make this winter season enjoyable in its own way.
Contact us at Focused Solutions to learn about how we can help you navigate life’s unique challenges…together.
