Nine Approachable Ways to Help Create a Slightly More Enjoyable Midwinter
Hi there!
Welcome to, or welcome back to, my corner of the internet! Thank you for being here with me today :). I really appreciate that and you ❤!
In the Great Northern Tundra, aka Minnesota 😉, we’re deep in the midst of midwinter, when the temperatures can range anywhere from the 40s -very rarely - (bikini weather!! 😅), to many, many degrees below zero. It’s when the bright, cozy, shininess of celebrating the holidays has worn off, and we’re left with the bleak, dark midwinter, desperately hoping, longing, and praying for spring to come as soon as possible.
This has historically been the time of year the midwinter blues have set in for me - can you relate?
I know this struggle isn’t limited only to locales and times of the year when temperatures are frost-bite-inducing, and plows are constantly on the move. The cloudiness, darkness, and even slightly chillier temps can throw many people off during the fall, winter, and early spring seasons, regardless of where they live. This post isn’t limited to only those currently living in colder winter climates. The midwinter blues are prevalent around the world and do not discriminate.
In this post, I’ll be sharing some approachable ways that have helped me turn this time of year into a more enjoyable season.
*****As always, I am not a therapist, psychiatrist, doctor, nutritionist, or any sort of professional in the medical field. I am a writer and content creator sharing what I’ve learned from my life experience. If you need further advice, and/or treatment, please seek the guidance you need from a medical professional.*****
Nine Approachable Ways to Help Create a Slightly More Enjoyable Midwinter
Taking a vitamin D supplement. I started taking a vitamin D supplement every day, year-round, upon the recommendation of my primary doctor about 10 years ago, and it helps me in all seasons with vitamin D production. In the winter, it really helps in boosting my mood. I recommend talking with your primary doctor before starting to take a supplement if you’re not already successfully taking it.
Using a happy light. I invested in my happy light in 2019, when I started working from home full-time. I tend to use it in the morning on gloomy days as needed, or after sunset to sort of extend my exposure to sunlight a little bit.
Romanticizing the seasons. Prior to this winter, I made a list of a variety of activities I would like to take part in each time of year, and details of each season I want to appreciate, specifically focusing on winter.
Some examples for winter include:
Buying fresh flowers for our kitchen.
Cozying up under my heated blanket with a good book.
Experimenting with hot cocoa drinks.
Lighting winter-scented candles (such as cinnamon, balsam, and sugar cookie, etc :) regularly in my husband’s and my work-from-home office.
Experimenting with coffee drinks.
Experimenting with hot tea drinks.
Experimenting with making soup recipes, and/or creating my own soups.
Going skiing, sledding, ice skating, and/or for walks in the snow.
Regular exercise. On average, I try to take part in about 30 minutes of movement, besides regular life movement, each day, usually more during the warmer months. I do my best to carry out types of exercise that I enjoy and improve my quality of life, such as different forms of dance, stretching my tight muscles, Pilates, barre, yoga, lifting weights, running (primarily during the warm months), and walking outside when it’s warm enough. Somedays 30 minutes of movement a day is cleaning for additional 30 minutes more than normal, as long as I get my heart rate up.
Getting outside when it’s safe to (for example, when it’s not below zero temperatures). When it’s warmer out for this time of year (usually 20 degrees or above) I try to go for a brief walk, maybe 15 minutes, being mindful of the wind chill, and avoiding frostbite. When it’s really cold, I like to stick my head outside and take a few deep breaths once or twice throughout the day.
Sitting or working where the sun is shining in our home. When I’m feeling low, sometimes I move around the house following the sun as I’m working. The sun and the warmth it gives help me feel considerably better.
Getting out of the house. For me, this has been taking walks in slightly warmer temperatures like I mentioned, working at a coffee shop or café, going to church and bible study as regularly as we can, getting together with our friends as we are able to, or even reading a fiction book where I’m physically at home, but my imagination is brought elsewhere through reading.
Having a supportive community around me. I’m grateful for the friendships and community who are actively a part of my life, that I get to celebrate great times with, carry out day-to-day life with, and support and be supported by in the hard times.
Praying about how I feel. I don’t mean to be in your face about my faith; however, God and my faith are incredibly important to me - if you support what I do as a writer, I hope you’re supportive of me and what I stand for (or at least encouraging of me and what I do, even if you’re not 100% sure of it). God is going to do what God is going to do, within His will; however, just talking about how I feel with God and connecting with Him, in any circumstance, any time of year, helps me feel a lot better, safe, loved, cared for, guided in my next steps, and protected.
Wrapping Up
These are some fairly approachable ways to help turn midwinter into a somewhat more enjoyable, or at least bearable, season. However, sometimes based on how you feel and/or where you’re at in life, they may not be or feel approachable, and you may not have the ability to carry them out. If you feel you’re not in a good place, please reach out to your support system, and as needed, a medical professional. ****If you need and/or are looking for further advice, and/or treatment, please look into getting the guidance you need from a medical professional. This post is based on my experience. I hope it’s helpful; however, I am not a medical professional, and this post may not have all the details and information you may need to feel better.****
Until Next Time ❤
Thank you so much for being here with me today! I hope you gathered some helpful knowledge from this post, and that you have a wonderful rest of your day, wherever in the world you’re reading this from, and whichever season it may be where you are! Lots of love to you, friend :) ❤.
Let’s Connect!
“When it seems as if God is far away, remind yourself that He is near. Nearness is not a matter of geography. God is everywhere. Nearness is likeness. The more we become like the Lord, the nearer He is to us.” - Warren Wiersbe
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