As someone who struggles with stronger feelings of depression and anxiety during the colder months, I find it important to find small things in your everyday life that bring you joy. Coming from someone whose major focuses on the struggles associated with mental health, I have a lot of knowledge on the topic due to studying it and living through it. Finding anything that helps to put your mind at ease or even just doing something to get yourself out of your head can make a huge difference between having a productive day and bed rotting the entire day.
- Sunlight
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Whether it be getting outside for a short walk or opening your blinds all the way to sit in the sun in the comfort of your own home, getting enough sunlight (especially during these colder months) can make a drastic difference in your mood and overall temperament. Personally, in the cold months, I like to bundle up and sit outside with a hot chocolate and either read or listen to music in my headphones. Something as simple as 15-30 minutes of sunlight can make a difference between feeling energetic and lethargic.
- Hobbies
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Whether it be something physical like yoga or jogging, or something that boosts creativity like crocheting or painting, finding something fun that makes you feel good can be a great distraction from those “winter blues.” My favorite hobby is curling up with a good romance or true crime book and playing some classical music in the background. Other than that, I love drawing flowers whenever I am feeling overwhelmed because it helps to remind me there is always a bit of beauty in the darkness. No matter what hobby you choose, as long as it helps to bring joy to your life, then you can’t do it wrong!
- Social Interaction
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I know that everyone may not be a super social person, but we all have a select few people that we can hang out with that make it feel like we aren’t really socializing even though we are. I am a very introverted person, but I have a select group of people who bring out a very extroverted side of who I am. Whether you are watching a movie with your friends, going on a trip to the mall, or even just talking while getting a coffee together, any of these things help to release serotonin in your brain, helping to put you in a better mood! A couple of times a week, my close friends and I would go to get lunch or go get Starbucks and just talk and vibe together. Something as simple as this helps me to get a good start to my day and makes going to class or work much easier (but that’s just me).
