Surviving the Winter Blues

You thought maybe the groundhog was right, that maybe Spring was right around the corner.  However, your snow shovel has been as active as ever.  Do you have this secret fear that sunny days and balmy breezes will never make it back to your climate?

The more snow and cold a person experiences during the winter time, the more likely he or she is going to experience "winter blues."  Assuming a trip to the tropics is out of the question, what can you do to keep yourself going a few months more?

• Move.  Not move away, but move your body.  The last thing you probably want to do is exercise, but it is the best thing for your tired body.  Even a little bit of weak sunshine and a short walk to get the blood flowing can loosen up those cobwebs. 
• Heat it up.  Heat of any kind will help.  Hot drinks, roaring fires, saunas, hot tubs... Warm your body and soul.
• Turn up the lights.  Even if you don't have an official Seasonal Affective Disorder diagnosis, light therapy helps with alertness and mood.  Keep bright lights on in the rooms you spend the most time in, including your office. 
• Catch a rainbow.  Brightness also comes in colors.  Be sure to have color in your wardrobe every day.  Consider using some down time at home to paint or redecorate a room.  Fresh flowers, even some inexpensive daisies or carnations, can make Spring seem much closer.
• Do it differently. Variety really is the spice of life.  Get out of the house and try a new restaurant. Take a class or learn a new skill or hobby. Take a different route to work or plan a weekend getaway. 
• Be positive.  Read inspiring stories.  Turn off the evening news.  Post favorite motivational quotes in your bedroom or office.  Spring, with all its promise, will come.  
• Use your imagination.  Watch movies about tropical places or read books about a desert locale.  Somehow, it tricks your mind into thinking you're in a warm place. 

The way our minds and bodies react to less sunlight in the winter may be beyond our control.  However, we have the power to manipulate our environment to make wintertime life more than survival mode.   

Creative problem solving

Problem solving involves creativity- new methods to evaluate, communicate, plan and initiate change. What do you do when you feel tapped out, and the idea mill has dried up?

Creative people have methods they use, consciously or unconsciously, to give their minds the maximum capacity to think creatively and generate new ideas.

• Take time to think freely. This may be lying in bed before falling asleep, during a morning walk or run, in the shower, or during a long commute.

• Exercise your imagination. The more you use your imagination, the better it works for you. Visualize your success. Ask yourself, “What would happen if…?” Fantasize about the impossible.

• Do something new. Your brain’s neurons start firing when it has to learn something new. Read something different, volunteer, try a new exercise class, or start a new hobby.

• Create. Paint, knit, write, carve, cook… the result doesn’t matter. It’s the process that gets the right side of your brain active.

• Chill out. Creativity flourishes in a relaxed atmosphere. Take a walk, meditate, find a quiet place, breathe deeply. Put your worries aside for awhile and de-stress.

• Get back to nature. Spend time appreciating the colors of the season, the sound of water churning, or the changes during sunrise or sunset. Get inspired.

• Immerse yourself in creativity. Go to the theater or an art museum. Pick up a classic piece of literature or poetry.

Whether creativity is a job requirement, or you just need a fresh perspective, these are methods that “sharpen the saw” as Stephen Covey would say. When you take time to cultivate your creativity, you’ll spend less time chasing a muse, and more time making the healthy changes that will lead to a better life.