Happy Monday! Today I wanted to offer some suggestions on how to fight winter blues – with fitness, color and mindfulness.
There are two things making life a bit gloomy right now:
- The Weather.
- The Donald Trump Administration
I don’t know about you, but I feel like I’ve been working overtime to keep from feeling completely burnt out and depressed this winter. Earlier this year, I shared a post about a 48-hour digital detox that definitely helped lift my spirits (here) and today I wanted to follow up with some other ways I’ve been fighting the winter blues – or the Trump blues, whichever you’re feeling the most. Also, if you’re feeling something a little deeper than just winter blues, or the Trump blues, then perhaps take a look into more than keeping to a fitness routine, you might also be wanting to look at something like this inpatient residential treatment from a mental health team when using mental health services in your local area.
Just How to Fight the Winter Blues?
One thing that I think helps lift your spirits in any season is to get moving and get some fresh air. Fortunately, while the overcast skies of winter show very little sunshine – the temperatures have been very mild here in the Midwest. Warmer temperatures make for the perfect excuse to disconnect from your television, cellphones and laptops to get outdoors and work on your fitness goals.
In January, the colder temperatures and short daylight hours put a limit on just how much outdoor time I was able to get – but in February I’ve really enjoyed putting on headphones, pounding the pavement and zoning out for a while. Favorites listens are Lady Gaga, Sia and The Beach Boys. Yes, I just said The Beach Boys. I dare you to listen to their music and NOT start to feel a little bit better. *wink*
Fighting the Winter Blues with Color
When things are gloomy outdoors and the news is saddening, the instinct to adorn your everyday look with lots of black and gray is real. Instead though, I’ve been trying to cheer myself up by wearing as much color as I can! Be it vibrant neon athletic gear, poppy lipsticks or cheerful prints – black has definitely taken a back-burner as color takes center stage.
You might think it’s a bit gimmicky – but I’ve found wearing energetic colors is a great way to ‘fake it till you make it.’ Sure, your mood may be a bit in the dumps and the sky shows no sign of Mr. Sun, but you can trick yourself into feeling more cheerful just by experimenting with color. Fashion is at heart about expression and if there’s one thing I’ve learned through the years, it’s that expression largely starts with your color palette. Seems like the PERFECT excuse to dress in every color of the rainbow, right?
Oh and Meditation – Trust Me!
Here’s when the real hippie in me comes out: I frickin’ SWEAR by meditation. Pretty sure I’ve confessed that here on Dream in Lace about a dozen times but I can’t tell you how much it continues to literally blow my mind. After using the Calm app religiously for over a year now, I grew a bit tired of their guided meditations and have been branching out. I’ve discovered that YouTube, of all places, has a host of guided meditations available – in varying lengths and themes.
One of my favorites to fight winter blues is this 18-minute guided meditation for “Blissful Deep Relaxation.” The sound of crashing waves always puts me in a more peaceful place and the speaker’s voice is actually soothing and not distracting. If you haven’t tried meditation before, I say just give it a try and see what you think. You will probably surprise yourself how much you enjoy it!
On the Bright Side, Spring is Almost Here
If nothing else, in fighting the winter blues we can find solace in knowing that spring is in fact, on the way. Coming ahead this week on Dream in Lace, I have a couple “spring” inspired posts that will hopefully help get you in the spirit. I mean, who doesn’t love spring?
As always, thank you SO much for reading and I hope I was able to give you an idea or two to fight the winter blues. Pop on The Beach Boys, color and get moving. If you’re feeling a bit in the dumps, too – definitely let me know if you have any tricks hanging out up your sleeve to feel better. The more ideas we have – the merrier we shall be!
As always, stay stylish and keep chasing your dreams!
XOXO
Kelly
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