Today I want to share with you my ways of dealing with low mood. I think this is a problem that unfortunately affects many people when the evenings become very long and the sun outside the window is very weak. The tips I mention below personally help me a lot during the cold months. They are quite universal, so I think that each of you will find some inspiration here. Enjoy! 😃
- Focusing on your relationship with Jesus
This point is my “number 1”, absolutely the most important. Based on my own experience, I see how the quality of my relationship with Jesus automatically influences my well-being. If I take time to pray every day, absorb His Word and consciously choose what I feed myself spiritually, I feel much better. By ‘spiritual food’ I mean, among others: the amount of time spent on social media, the type of music I listen to, the message of what I read, etc.
It is very easy to let go of focusing on Jesus because months like November, December, January and February are often filled with exam sessions and work. But in this relationship you cannot allow yourself to make excuses. By letting go of a day, a week, a month of intimacy with Jesus, we can miss out on the enormity of what God could have done then in our lives. I often struggle with the temptation to give up praying or reading the Bible, but seriously – it’s not worth it!
2. Conscious eating and regular physical activity
If you know me personally, you probably know how important healthy and conscious food choices are to me! Recently, general awareness of how food affects the well-being and functioning of human brain has increased significantly. In the fall and winter, in addition to a varied diet (which actually nourishes, not just fills you), it is also worth considering vitamin D supplementation.* You can find more information on many websites – this topic has become very popular in recent years!
We also cannot forget about the huge importance of sleep and regular physical activity – theoretically obvious points for everyone, but not everyone implements them in their lives. If you don’t like the gym, home pilates or yoga, even a walk or a few minutes of cardio exercise can do a lot of good! Sport stimulates our body to produce the so-called “happiness hormones” that can help us get through the winter with a smile on our faces and minds.
From my experience, I highly recommend it: when I have a bad day, I pack my shoes and workout clothes, go to the gym, exert myself a bit, and then the day immediately becomes better 😀
*Of course, I am not a dietitian, but the topic of a healthy lifestyle is something I am into – if you are interested in my “recommendations”, please contact me by sending an e-mail 😀
3. ‘Quality time’ only for me
Another way to fight low mood is to spend some time only with yourself. Find one day/afternoon that you can spend in any way you want and write in capital letters on the calendar: TIME ONLY FOR ME. Depending on what you like, think of something you would really like to do and usually don’t have enough time for and do it! It can be an evening with a good book, going to a cafe/restaurant or just a walk. It’s not about sophisticated pleasures – the most important thing is the intention with which you do it. With love and understanding, let yourself rest and meet your needs. If you don’t take care of your own well-being and relationship with yourself, no one else will do it for you.
4. Moments of mindfulness (+ meditation)
Another tool that I wholeheartedly recommend (and without which it would be difficult for me to survive any season) is mindfulness. I understand it as paying attention to what is happening around and inside me at this moment, cutting myself off from the racing thoughts. There are many ways to learn mindfulness – meditation is one of them. If you meditate regularly, even for a few minutes a day, it is very likely that you will be able to see positive effects after just a few days.
Mindfulness also involves paying attention to how my body feels. If I’m tired – I try to find time to rest (and not drink another cup of coffee), when I’m hungry – I eat something healthy, when I’m full – I don’t force myself to eat.
Another good way to practice mindfulness is what I like to call an ‘open eye walk’, which is a walk where I try to notice the beauty of nature, take in the joy of the people around me, and breathe deeply. Very calming 😃
5. Time with people who make me happy
Each of us knows at least one person who is always positive, even when it’s cold and pouring outside. It could be your friend, family member, girlfriend or boyfriend. Never mind! The most important thing is that even a couple of minutes spent in a meeting or telephone conversation with this person can immediately have a positive impact on the rest of your day.
It is worth cultivating such friendships, because in difficult times they can turn out to be our real “lifelines”. It is known that you cannot radiate positive energy forever – even people who seem to have it all the time may one day get fed up with everything. At this moment you get a lot from this person, but one day maybe you will be a source of joy for them!
6. Not locking yourself in the “4 walls of my responsibilities”
Sitting at home all the time or commuting only to work/university and back can be very exhausting- unfortunately, many of us may have experienced this during the pandemic. Now that we have the opportunity to choose what we will do with our free time, it is worth planning various activities. Depending on what opportunities the place where you live offers you, instead of watching Netflix under a blanket another evening, it is worth going for a walk, to the cinema or to a cafe – with a partner, a friend or alone, why not!
Contrary to appearances, not all of these opportunities have to involve spending money! A walk, coffee with friends, free events organized in Your city or going to a cozy library to immerse yourself in a good book – all this can be done without spending a penny! If you live in a bigger city, you can develop your hobby for free in a larger group: language/painting meetings, book clubs – everything can be done “for free”!
I really like walking around Krakow and constantly discovering its new areas. The gym is also a place I often visit – not because I am a super athlete, but because I like to fill my everyday life with various activities that give me something good and motivate me to leave the apartment.
That’s all I have prepared for you today <3 I hope that these few ideas will inspire you and help you get through the cloudy months, of which there are plenty in Poland.
What are your favorite ways to improve your well-being in the fall and winter? Feel free to share Your ideas in the comments! I am still looking for inspiration! <3
As always with love,
Kasia
