Now is the Winter of our disconnect
Many people experience depression during the winter but does it have to be like this? There are certain steps that we can take to beat off the winter blues. Some that come to mind are things that you do physically like getting rest, exercise and eating right. It is also important, even if you don’t want to go out in the cold to be social. Though I prefer movies, music a good book! Some people even sit under sun lamps. But you know all of this and the problem starts because you can’t find the get and go to do it. Does that sound familiar?
I’m going to assume that you have a good handle on how to be healthy through summer, spring and fall. The problem is that you don’t have stop gap for the winter. One of the disconnects that we have in our lives is we don’t live according to the seasons. We act as if there is a seasonal adjustment. Besides the obvious things that we do like holidays and winter sports there is a perspective or a mindset that can get you through winter unscathed and ready for spring.
When you are going through winter you need to slow down. You need to become more concerned with creature comforts without over doing them. This slowness is a time when you can begin to re-evaluate or meditate on the choices you have made in your life. It is a soul searching time. This is a time for literally deep breathing. When you do this make your surroundings as comfortable as you can. You are not sitting and anxiously worrying. You are thoughtfully looking at your life. The problem comes in when you attack and judge decisions that you have made. The purpose of the soul search is to look at who you are and spend some time dreaming about where you are going. You are not being morose this is a time of reflection and the thought “maybe I’d like to change that.”
But understand that the energy is contemplative. Your actions may be slower and more deliberate. Winter is not an exciting time it is a survival time. And surrounded by warmth and music you may make some surprising discoveries about parts of your life that you want to change. This is where most people make the mistake then they feel angry or like failures for not having what they envisioned. The problem with that perspective is your life isn’t a complete package. It changes all the time there is nothing wrong with deciding you want something different.
So cozy up to the fire (or radiator) take a look at yourself you will know what you want when spring comes. And I know it is cold and dark but go to the gym anyway!