Seasonal depression is no joke, especially in the jaws of dreary Western New York. As the cold and grueling months pass, it seems to become increasingly difficult to do… anything really.
Between my unkept room and serious procrastination, it feels like the lack of vitamin D is slowly defeating me.
Luckily, spring is just around the corner! This week, I heard birds chirping on campus for the first time in months and I immediately felt some of the fog evaporate from my brain.
Spring is a time for rejuvenation. The snow begins to melt. Flowers sprout from the Earth. The hills turn green.
Thus, now is the perfect time to remedy some of the less helpful habits that may develop during the winter. Even though we won’t get super warm weather until the end of the semester, we can still rid ourselves of the cobwebs from winter and gear up for spring.
So, if you’re also trying to get a fresh start with the turn of the seasons, I invite you to join me in some mental spring cleaning! Here are some tasks I typically do as the seasons change to help me motivate and ground myself for a fresh era…
Create new routines
The sun is out earlier, and you can be too! Take advantage of the longer days and craft some new routines.
Have some habits you want to adopt? Reading? Maybe even meditation? Set your alarm earlier and work it into your morning!
I am such a morning routine girl, but the cold weather makes it impossible for me to actually follow through. I gave up on morning routines in the winter a long time ago, but I’m always elated to welcome them back in the spring!
seek Pinterest Inspiration
Pinterest is my savior. Is the emphasis on aesthetics shallow and materialistic? Yes, absolutely. But it is also incredibly motivating.
Whether it’s spring outfit inspiration, summer hairstyles, or aesthetic outdoor activities, you will find something that will have you looking forward to the warm weather.
My current Pinterest board obsessions are candid pictures of friends that seem too perfect to be candid, like girls in sundresses dancing on the beach. They know they are dominating, and I admire them for it.
Regardless, these pictures of unnaturally beautiful strangers motivate me to make more elaborate plans with my friends, or just in general, excited by life.
Make the appointments we’ve been avoiding
No more excuses. You are old enough to call your doctor or therapist or mechanic and schedule an appointment.
I am certainly guilty of letting time slip by and my well-being slip with it. Heck, I was sick from January until mid-March and didn’t do anything about it.
It’s not a good look! We deserve to be both physically and mentally healthy. The cold weather is never a valid excuse for neglecting your health anyway (@me).
Swap out clothes
This may be risky. I’m not completely familiar with New York weather, but something about the changing of the guard from sweaters to baby tees is so satisfying.
It opens a new season, and I always find myself excited to wear my lighter clothes again and work them into my ever-evolving style. It’s a fun challenge, and it’s productive!
Add new accessories
Much like switching out clothes, buying new accessories will never not get me excited for the day. There’s something almost giddy about debuting a new accessory. It’s small, but people will notice.
In the fall it was bows and scarfs. Now, however, I’m feeling funky jewelry stacks and patterned headbands.
Oh! Do you know where you can find some great inspiration? Pinterest? See, it really is the ultimate motivator.
Journal
If you want a fresh start, get rid of all of the clutter in your mind!
Journaling has been a godsend for me, and I can’t recommend it enough. I can feel an energetic difference in my brain before and after journaling like all of my whirling thoughts relocated to the page.
It’s truly a beneficial practice, perhaps even the perfect habit to add to your new morning routine!