5 Terrific Self-Care Tips To Help With Seasonal Depression
This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s fall editorial intern Elizabeth Miller. Find them on Instagram at @Lizzy_7979. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
Now that the sun has been setting earlier and it’s been getting cold out, I have definitely been feeling seasonal depression creeping in. Seasonal depression can be really tough to deal with. Especially come January, the dark, cold and lack of holiday cheer leaves me feeling unmotivated. To keep those feelings of seasonal depression at bay, I’ve started implementing some of my favorite coping mechanisms to help keep me going. If you’re looking for some holiday season self care tips, here are my top five that will help you feel a bit better.
Journal Regularly
Journaling is a great way to get your thoughts out quickly. If you feel like you need to get something out of your mind but don’t necessarily want to talk with anyone about it, journaling is a great way to release any of those thoughts or feelings. It’s better to get any negative thoughts out rather than keep them in. You don’t necessarily need to journal every day, but sticking to it regularly can help you practice getting your thoughts out and generally keep your mind clear. Journaling daily can have some amazing results on your mental health. Here are some journaling prompt ideas to get you started and journaling art supplies!
Appreciate Sunlight
During this time when the sun is not out as long, I like to take some time to appreciate the sunlight. It helps me feel grounded. While you can do this at almost any point during the day, I recommend watching the sunrise. You don’t have to get up super early for it because the sun rises a bit later. Fit in a few minutes while enjoying a nice warm drink or eating breakfast to see some natural light. Need ideas of how to connect with nature? This article has you covered!
Keep Warm
There is just something about getting warm that makes me feel better when I’m feeling down. Whether it be a warm shower, a heated blanket or a hot drink, warmth just soothes my soul. Curl up with a pet, hug a loved one or enjoy a nice bowl of soup. You’ll be feeling a bit better in no time!
Surround Yourself With Happiness
Sometimes, it takes a little distraction to get me out of my feelings and back on track to being content and productive. I surround my space with things that make me happy. Interacting with my environment is a great first step for me to get out of my head because it helps me reset my focus. On one of my walls, I hang up a lot of posters of things that make me smile. I love the idea of decorating with manifestation collages and vision boards. They’re a great way to remind you of happy things in your life and exciting goals you’re working toward!
Schedule Motivators
As I mentioned before, after New Year’s, the holidays and celebrations start to die down. This is when I find my seasonal depression easily slips in. Especially during this time, I like to schedule different activities to help keep me motivated. This can be activities like going to see a movie with a friend, visiting a museum or treating yourself to brunch. Having something to look forward to always helps me stay motivated. But, these motivators don’t necessarily need to be big things either. It can also be small things like planning to do a face mask and read for an hour after work so you can go to your local library and pick out a new book soon, or watch a few episodes of your favorite TV show while you crochet so you can get some new yarn soon. Celebrations and excitement do not need to be limited to big things! I love getting hyped about little things in my life, like indulging in some hot chocolate or finding a craft project I want to try. Overall, these tips help me feel a bit happier when seasonal depression starts creeping up on me.
Which of these holiday season self care tips did you like best? Let us know in the comments below!