Embracing Winter: Simple Ways to Nurture Your Mind, Body, and Spirit
Written by Vanessa Joseph, APC
All the goals you set out to accomplish may be unfinished or forgotten. Even simple things evade you like car cleaning and dentist appointments. Maybe you have gained a lot this year, but still, it feels like it was not enough. Perhaps as the days get shorter and the morning winter air brushes across your face, a little sadness trickles into your heart.
This sadness could be any number of things.
For some it's tied to the feelings that come with the holidays. Known more commonly as seasonal affective disorder (SAD) you could be experiencing major depressive disorder with seasonal patterns. For others anxiety or other intense emotions begin to ramp up during the holidays/colder months of the year. Whether you’re experiencing the ebbs and flows of your natural temperament or a diagnosable disorder there are a multitude of ways to address pains that may come during this time of the year.
So, what might this look like? The way to address these concerns can be broken down into categories. Some things are easier for others to get to while others are often forgotten. For many these are not new, just not incorporated into your holiday rhythms, but maybe now they can be. Let’s begin!
Physical: As the days get shorter and cooler many people are susceptible to feeling the effects of the following: less vitamin D, less movement, and poor diet. Vitamin D mostly comes from direct sunlight and impacts your mood, energy levels, bone strength, immunity, brain and heart health. Incorporating things like cod liver oil or vitamin D pills into your daily routine could possibly be the difference someone needs to overcome harder days (but of course be sure to get the support of your doctor or health care professional before trying anything you are not sure about). To address movement, any number of things could work: it’s all about finding what works for you is key. You can join athletic classes or even go on walks with friends and or family with some level of regularity to encourage heart health. Alas there is good holiday eating. Splurging here and there is fair but adopting new bad habits that will stick around through every other season of the year can be detrimental. It’s important to be mindful that the mind body connection is strong and the things that we do to our bodies impacts our minds.
Social: Instead of isolation, gather with the people. Join a group, go to church, connect with trusted family and friends. Go ahead and reconnect with that person that you’ve been meaning to reconnect with or even seek out time with a trusted leader for some direction. Depression and anxiety often convince us that we need to be alone and “figure ourselves out”, but a lot of healing comes in connecting, sharing ideas, and oneness.
Mental/Emotional: Perhaps it's finally time to connect with a therapist that can help you grow into who you want to be, possibly, who God has created you to be. If you already have a therapist or that does not seem to be what you need right now, maybe you need to take time to intentionally journal on a weekly or daily basis. This will help you sort out all the thoughts swirling in your mind. Alternatively, there may be a book you have been wanting to read that you haven’t made time for. As things slow down at work or other areas of your life this may be a good time to really connect with mind and see how you’re really feeling and figuring out why you may be feeling this way. A lot of insight can come out of meditation and intentional reflection. You don’t have to be good at it to start—all elements of self-care are modal and expected to change as you begin to learn more about your personal needs.
Spiritual: Lastly, but most importantly, your feelings may be a sign to look towards the Eternal. For Christians this is why Christ calls us to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. Maybe doing the thing that is not immediately obvious to the flesh, is the thing to do this season. Instead of endless scrolling, consider reading that devotion or chapter He set in your heart to read. Instead of tirelessly trying to make everything come together, seek His will. Discover in His word what it is that He will have you do today. Maybe your soul needs rest. Or maybe He is leading you to do something completely different. Whatever it is that will restore you, how will you know it without first seeking Him?
As stated, before many of the things listed out here are things that you've heard of before and may have even probably planned to do. You don't have to change everything to improve your quality of life. So, my challenge for those who struggle during the holidays is to consider what one or two things you can add to your life today that could give you a more enjoyable winter season this year?
Written by Vanessa Joseph, APC