The Kat Life

how I'm choosing to live my best life

Main Categories
Seasonal
Holiday
Katherine Moon
Katherine Isabella Moon
Meow, hello there, my name is Katherine, but you can call me Kat; because I basically am a cat. Anyways, I am a 26-year-old, lifestyle blogger, with an INFP-T personality type, from the United States. I love fashion, the color pink, cats, dogs, and spending all my time on my computer. I'm often seen wearing cat ears headbands.
The Kat Life
The Kat Life

how I'm choosing to live my best life

Saturday, January 18, 2020

4 Ways I'm Tackling The Winter Blues

Winter
Photo courtesy of Tamara Bellis on Unsplash

At this point, I sound like a broken record when I say that I do not like Winter. So it is no surprise that Winter can cause me to feel a little down at times, especially as seasonal depression is actually quite common in the wintertime.  Which also comes at no surprise. The weather is often on the crappier side, it's cold, and days are short. Plus, not only are the days short, but daylight is often limited even more by clouds, so it might as well just be dark all day. It can be hard to get motivated on a gray and dreary day regardless of the season. But add the fact that it's cold and it'll be dark by 6:00 PM, and you'll find yourself just wanting to stay in bed. Perhaps this is why so many people have a hard time sticking to their New Year's resolutions. At least in the northern hemisphere.

But Winter is here for a quarter of the year, and winters in Ohio don't end when the calendar says they do. You're often looking until at least mid-April for the weather to be consistently pleasant. So I simply can not allow the winter blues to get me down all winter. I mean, I could just wrap up in my blankets all day and mope about the weather, but that often makes me feel even else. I don't want to be feeling tired, unmotivated, crabby, and unproductive for a quarter of the year. Who does? So I can't allow a season to make me feel like poo. I can't let Winter win!


4 Ways I'm Tackling The Winter Blues




Getting outside when the weather permits


Outside in the winter
Photo courtesy of freestocks.org

Up until this year, I have never willingly gone for a walk during the winter months. Nor have I spent any significant amount of time outdoors in the winter. Even when the weather was gorgeous, and it was fairly warm out, I would still hide in my cave. I couldn't fathom going for a walk in January. Why would I go out into the elements if I didn't have to? Usually, when I'm outside in the winter, it's because I have to be to do unpleasant tasks such as shoveling the driveway or putting salt down. So why would I choose to go outdoors when I don't have to do either of those tasks? But one day it occurred to me that maybe, just maybe, that's the point. Why not choose to enjoy the weather on a pleasant day and make the most of it? Beautiful days can be few and far between in Ohio during the winter. So this year I've decided to make the most of those days. 

I was actually surprised at how good I felt after taking my first "Winter" walk. It was about 35ºF, so it was a little chilly, but keeping my body moving kept me from feeling cold. I actually think the crisp air helped energize me a little bit too. As much as I don't like the cold, it still felt refreshing. Although, I think that getting out into the daylight played a role in that as well, especially as the sun was shining when I went out. But even if it had been cloudy, I'd still be getting more sunlight than I would if I were just sitting in my room. So I think that even on cloudy days, as long as it isn't too cold and it isn't icy, I'm going to try to make the most of it and go for a walk. Even if it's a short one. 



Getting some movement in


Yoga
Photo courtesy of Dane Wetton on Unsplash

My initial reaction to the cold is to cacoon myself in my blankets and curl up in a ball. The last thing I want to do in the winter is move. Just knowing it's colder in my room than it is under my blankets makes me want to stay in bed, not exercise. But the thing is, exercise is exactly what I need when I'm having a bad case of the winter blues or the blues in general. It's also a great preventative measure to keep that "blah" feeling at bay. Let's be real too, it's also a great way to warm yourself up when you're feeling chilly. At least for a little while. 

You don't need a gym membership to get moving. If it's too cold or icy to go for a walk or run outdoors, there is plenty you can do from home inside without any special equipment. There is an abundance of equipment-free workout videos available on the internet for free, and there is something out there for everyone. I have found that even something as simple as a slow yoga practice or a good stretch gives me a significant mood and energy boost, especially when done in the morning. 



Keeping a good routine and watching my habits


Photo courtesy of Bruce Mars on Unsplash

One thing that I know about myself is that what I do has a direct impact on my mood. For me, keeping a good routine and avoiding slipping into bad habits is essential to avoid feeling like poo. It's important year-round for me to be consistent with my daily routine and to keep my habits in check, but it's even more important in the winter. Especially when there's extra temptation to just stay in bed or to take a long nap, and to not do much of anything. But as much as I'd love to stay under my warm blankets in the morning, especially when there's not a lot of daylight coming into my room, I know I'll feel better if I get out of bed before 10:00 AM. Even if I sometimes need to coax myself a little more to get out of bed, stay consistent with my daily routine, and stay on top of my habits.



Making the most of the season


Snow heart
Photo courtesy of Brigitte Tohm on Unsplash

As much as I loathe Winter, there are a few things that I like about it as well. So rather than just focusing on everything I don't like about Winter, I'm trying to focus on the things that I do like about Winter. Even the little things are worth making the most of. There is a lot to complain about in the winter, not gonna lie. But there are still things to smile about in the Winter as well. 



Although Winter likes to try it's hardest to get me down, I refuse to let it win. I refuse to let it keep me from being productive and ruin my mood. I refuse to allow it to set back my goals. I refuse to allow a season to bully me. And this winter, I plan to make the most of this season instead of just complaining about it. Whether I'm going for a walk on the nice days or enjoying hot cocoa and playing The Sims on the crappy days, I plan to make the most of every day this winter.

Do you get the winter blues this time of year? If so, how do you usually deal with them? One more thing that I'd like to add is that these are just my own remedies to tackling the winter blues and that there are other options available that are worth looking into. 
Thank you for reading, and I hope the rest of your day is wonderful!
If you liked this post, I'd really appreciate it if you'd help this blog grow and hit the follow button! :)
Follow

No comments

Post a Comment

Newer Post Older Post
Keep Up With The Kat Life Subscribe to my news feed to get posts delivered directly to your inbox!