It’s no secret that winter drags on for what seems like forever! Unless you live in the sunshine southern and western states you know what it’s like to feel like winter never to end! When autumn ends and the holidays arrive I think we all welcome winter with the holiday spirit and the coziness of it all! However, after the new year it gets harder and harder to fully embrace the season unless you are the rare winter junkie! All that being said I think it’s important to talk about ways to stay in a healthy mindset, positive, motivated, and not wasting these months wishing them away! I’m obviously no expert but there are some tips that I think are helpful and keep me in a healthy mindset during these sometimes dreary months!
1. Surround yourself
The first thing on this list that I think is truly so important and helpful all the time is who you surround yourself with. Don’t get me wrong I think it is extremely important to be a light yourself and be the encouragement people need, but it’s also very important to surround yourself with people who fill you with light. Are you secluding yourself during these months? I think it’s good to have some alone time, but I think there’s a very important balance. We need others. Don’t let yourself get into a rut and not want to do anything or be with anyone because you, ” Just aren’t feeling it.” It’s okay every once in awhile but force yourself to get out and be with others. It will encourage you to connect with people you love and inspire you. It gets you out of your own head and helps you focus on the important things. Community and friendship are so important and so helpful when you are just feeling ” Blah”. Maybe it will inspire you to inspire others around you; don’t let winter control your motivation and purpose!
2. Make Plans
Bouncing off of what I said above about getting out and surrounding yourself with people, make plans! Something that always keeps me excited, motivated, and positive is making plans. It gives you something to look forward to and really can be so helpful with your mindset and mood! Get ahold of a friend and make a plan to go out to dinner and a movie, make a date night with your significant other, plan a little day road trip, go ice skating, go to the gym with a buddy, go to an ice festival, have a ” just for fun” party, etc! There really are so many things you can do if you make it a purpose to make it special. Even something as simple as saying,” Hey lets get out some games this Saturday and everyone bring some snacks and I’ll have some wine!”, can really make something so simple be exciting and special. I’m taking a road trip myself next week to one of my favorite places, Terrain in Devon, PA, and I’m really excited! It’s on of my favorite places, and it won’t break the bank going with a few people, splitting gas, getting a nice meal, and shopping around for spring ( browsing if you don’t want to spend.) Another example, this weekend we are throwing a poker night party and it’s just so much fun to hang out, play some poker, have some drinks and appetizers, and enjoy friends and family! So go ahead make a plan!
3. Plan Ahead for Spring/Summer
One of my all time favorite things to do during these months! Who doesn’t love vacation time! Well there’s no better time than now to start planning for your next trip or vacation. If you’ve already booked your next trip, then start making an itinerary for it while you have some time! If you haven’t quite booked your next trip then start Pinteresting all your ideal spots, start browsing Airbnb, and wanderlust your little heart away! I’ve recently been browsing myself because we haven’t booked or decided on where we are taking trips this year, so it’s such a fun pastime during these months! Maybe take this time to think outside the box. Sometimes it’s easy to just book the same place every year or do what you know, which is all fine and good if you truly love it! However, if there’s places you’ve always wanted to go or you aren’t sure where to go but have always wanted to explore more, take this time to do it! Do the research, reach out to people who have been to a lot of places, seriously Pinterest your heart out, and expand your mind a little. Don’t just assume you can’t do it, or that it’s too much money. It might surprise you what you can actually do if you plan ahead! <3
4. Take advantage of being cooped in
One thing we all underestimate is what you can take advantage of this time of year. Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the, ” If only’s”. If only it was nice outside, if only it wasn’t so hot, if only it wasn’t so cold, if only I had time… Well, this time of year we don’t have nearly as much daylight nor is the weather as accommodating to do a lot of different activities, so what is there? Well, it’s actually nice to have the excuse to do indoor things! I know this time of year I justify doing more cozy things, where as in the other seasons I always feel the need to be a busy little bee, on the go all the time! Maybe take this time of year to slow down just a bit. Maybe read the book or books you don’t justify staying still for during the summer, maybe plan cozy movie nights that you don’t justify when its daylight out at 9 in the summer, maybe go out and try those restaurants you’ve been dying to try when you want to just eat outside at your house when it’s nice. There are definitely some perks to the slow down to winter if we take the time to realize it and enjoy it just a bit.
5. Keep Clean and Organized
So important! I have to say I think one thing that keeps me sane is to keep the house organized and clean. It’s obvious that we all spend way more time indoors during these months, so having a clean and organized space helps keeps your mind that way too! I know it’s not always easy to achieve and by no means can you always expect it to be perfect, but if you just purpose maybe a half hour a day, even twenty minutes to wiping down everything, quick floor sweep, and putting stuff in its rightful place, it helps so much! By doing this you make it so cleaning and organizing are just maintenance. You don’t have to spend three hours cleaning if you do it every day for a short bit. Do the dishes during and after every meal, don’t let them pile up. Put things back where they go right after you’re done with them. Make the bed right when you get up. Wipe the sinks, floors, and counters down before bed (if you have time). Throw in a load or two of laundry a day instead of five to six loads in one day. These simple maintenance tips may seem ridiculous to achieve but it actually makes life So Much Easier! You just have to purpose to do so and I promise it will improve your mood and mindset. When you feel cluttered or overwhelmed in your home in affects you. Start every day with a fresh start knowing you don’t have to battle your way through. Purpose to take control and maintain the balance. 🙂
6. See the Beauty
All in all, these tips are simple enough but easy to forget and important to remember! I think applying these in our lives is so beneficial for us to be our best self for not only us but for others around us! To encourage those surrounding us and continue to LIVE! So look out the window and watch the snow fall. See the beauty it brings. Go for a hike and listen to the sweet stillness and feel the cold crisp air in your lungs. Breathe. Recharge for the busyness of the year that spring will bring. Purpose to use this time wisely and don’t waste it. There is good in all seasons of life! <3
Written by: Paige Johnson <3
