Hello Friend,
The winter blues have got me…and I’m ready to kick them out!
These cold days keep me cooped up inside and when there are little pockets of sun I flock to my windows or take a drive so I can wear the sunglasses and feel the warmth! But the temps have been too cold (for me) to comfortably be outside much. I could dress in all the layers – but ugh, not feeling it. So while I’m waiting out this winter inside…here are a few things I’ve found to help to bring in a little warmth and sunshine.
And full disclosure…I live alone. So I don’t have kids, pet(s) or a partner to coordinate with or around. As all our situations differ, maybe one or more of these will help you find some additional footing or add a little extra warmth into your day.
Candles. At the end of the workday, the skies are a bit brighter now in February…but I find the first thing I do when I get home is light a candle. The little extra light brings comfort.
Cooking. I am exploring with more at-home cooking and trying new recipes to change it up. There have been a few good ones that I will share soon.
Books & Tunes. Listening to books or music rather than watching movies and tv shows I am finding I can relax a bit better and truly wind-down at the end of a workday. Which, for me, means better sleep. And of course during this time I am either knitting, sewing or sketching. Check out a playlist that has been a nice boost.
Conversation. Talking on the phone with friends…forget texting, let’s talk! Trust me – it’s not easy for me to do this (which is crazy because as a teen I drove my family nuts always tying up the phone lines!)…but when I do it feels good.
Friends. I’m trying to get back into the swing of time with friends, but lately small groups has been most comfortable. So we’re working on planning for brunch, attending their kiddos activities together, afternoon coffee breaks, salt therapy session (halotherapy), pedicure treats.
Bedtime Ritual. I don’t know about you but over the last couple years my bedtime ritual or routine has gotten way out of control and I would end us so “wired” during what should be “winddown time”. So…back to old practices:
o My phone is goes to “Do Not Disturb” mode at 9:15 and I take the next 45
minutes to lights out to enjoy a bedtime tea, take extra time for a facial routine,
maybe start a load of laundry (because why not let it do the work while we sleep?),
and moisturize the hands and feet before crawling into bed. I did not realize until
this last week how much my body craved this…and its thanking me with some
better rest.
Tidying. I’ll be honest – I do not always have the most organized home. I LOVE an organized life and everything I own has a “home” in my home (trust me, I do see when that book has been moved from its spot)…but during the week I am known to kind of let it go and then by the weekend I feel like I’m suffocating because stuff is everywhere and NOT in its place. SO there goes Saturday cleaning it all up…I’ve been working hard to use the first 30 minutes when I get home from work to do some tidying. And I’ll tell you what – this weekend was pretty stress free with the “chores”.
I’d love to hear what works for you to add to my list of “go-to” tips whenever we get into a little slump. And if any of these resonate with you – let me know.
And for some fresh beats...below is a playlist I put together on Apple Music and Spotify featuring a variety of artists to give us a little confidence boost.
Stay warm & Happy Making Friend!
XO,
Crystal