To help you wipe out those annual winter blues, focus on self-care. Please remember to stay warm during these colder months when your outdoors and actually when you are at home. Simple steps like opting for a furnace tune-up similar to those shown at summersphc.com/muncie/services/heating/furnace-tune-up/ could be a smart idea. During these bitter winter months, many people get into the spirit of joyfulness (for the holidays) with a touch of sadness. The days are shorter, the nights are longer, and the weather is somewhat colder. However, have no fear, because we have 10 self-care ideas to beat winter blues.

1. Make a complete breakfast for yourself

Treat yourself! The best part of the winter time is the food. You can make lots of comfort food that is sure to help you beat the winter blues. Think wholesome, nutritious, and delicious. Among many others, Health.coms Blueberry Oat Pancakes with Maple Yogurt recipe is truly divine. With ingredients like old-fashioned rolled oats, cottage cheese, eggs, vanilla extract, blueberries, Greek-style low-fat yogurt, and maple syrup, this healthy breakfast will have you feeling delightfully satiated.

2. Release what no longer serves you

beat winter blues woman let it go self-care soul searchThe winter season is a time of realigning to your truth. With that comes a realization and a release of things that tend to keep you trapped.

The winter blues will be released much quicker the faster you accept your truth. If you have been putting up with toxic patterns or friends, now is the time to let go and focus on your own needs and desires. Put your energy into your passions to create that space for new and authentically happy experiences.

3. Give your loved ones some attention

Whether that is a call, a letter, or a personal meet up, getting together with loved ones can really lessen winter blues. When we spread the love with others, we start radiating joy and peace.

4. Take a fitness class

Get inspired to work out! Take a Pilates or yoga class or even boxing class. Find the joy in moving your body. Feel great and burn off some calories along the way!

5. Create a homemade face mask

The best self-care options are usually homemade. And, if possible, you should really take the self-care time to do a relaxing face mask once a week. Once they are added to your weekly routine, they will be sure to help you beat winter blues.

beat winter blues woman homemade natural face mask bathSo, why not Get together with your friends and create a deliciously cleansing face mask. Marie Claires Cocoa Dream Hydration Mask offers hydrating and skin-soothing anti-inflammatory benefits. With ingredients like cocoa and avocado, this mask is sure to offer great results. Here are the directions:

Mash one quarter of an avocado in a small bowl.

Stir in one tablespoon cocoa powder and one tablespoon honey, mashing and mixing well.

Apply the mask to your clean, dry skin for 10 minutes.

Wash off with warm water, then moisturize as per usual.

6. Add brightness to your environment

With minimized sunlight, depression can really start to rise with many. That lack of vitamin D may be a contributing factor to getting the winter blues as well.

The lack of sunlight outside can definitely decrease the amount of vitamin D you intake, so taking a supplement can help, but also, light therapy which is also suggested as a therapeutic cure for S.A.D. (seasonal affective disorder), can help boost your mood. Elite Daily

Add color to your room in the form of drapes, sheets, painted walls, or even a painting. Buy scented candles. Add mood lighting. Create that beautiful space that fits your authentic nature and brightens not only your environment, but your mood, too!

7. Binge watch TV shows or movies

Whether you watch alone, with family, or with friends, binge watching TV shows or movies are sure to add some joy to your life. Cozy up with blankets and endless popcorn and keep that remote control within reach. There are so many good series out there yet to be explored! What makes this experience even better is having the best wifi, which can be achieved by getting things like cox internet packages. This ensures that you can get a high-speed internet connection, as well as making sure that you are not interrupted by buffering or pixelation, making your winter day that much brighter. this is even better to do when you have a working HVAC system to ensure that you are kept comfortable and warm, in the winter. Making sure that you get something like a Houston, Seattle, or Charlottesville heating and air service or any other area you are within, will make sure that your HVAC system is working to the best of its ability.

8. Cocoa, wine and books

beat winter blues woman reading book cozy hyggeWintertime serves as a great chance to catch up on reading. Join a book club or start your own! Why not select a book to read with your friends and family? Make it an event. Serve snacks with hot cocoa. We’re also not opposed to sipping some wine! Set time out to read and chat about the books. It’s a great time to interact with other book enthusiasts.

9. Sweat it out

When the weather is dragging you down (and all you want to do is regain feeling in your fingers and toes), head to the tub. A steamy bath (bubbles, optional) is a convenient approach to warm your body. You can also take a trip to your local gym for a steam shower or sauna; both guarantee a hot and sweaty experience.” Spirituality & Health Magazine

Relaxing into a nice and hot bath at the end of the day will surely calm your mind and ease your soul. In addition, sweating through steam is a natural way to release toxins from the body, which is a great alternative to working out.

10. Feel the new space of your authentic self

As we get ready to clear out the space of our old selves, we start rising into the new.

The old releasing = Deconstruction

The New we are forming = Reconstruction Ascension Energies

Your foundation is being rebuilt as you enter the winter season. Every release of the old brings awareness and a recalibration of the new. This is a time to look within, sense your intuition, and meet your desires head on. Through each layer of emotion, you are shedding the old so you can bring in the new.

There you have it! To beat winter blues, focus on self-care rituals that make you feel good. Empower yourself to relax and get motivated at the same time. Find a hobby, a friend, a class, or a cause that speaks to you. Make this winter season a time to enjoy and cozy up to yourself. Just remember, Spring is just around the corner!