Top Five Tips To Beat The Winter Blues

We can all get a bit down in the winter, what with the miserable weather and seemingly permanent darkness. If you're struggling to get your daily dose of sunshine, exercise, fresh fruits and veg, then your festive spirit could be in danger of dwindling. The run up to Christmas can get hectic, so it's important that you don't forget to take time out for yourself.

1. Feeling blue? Red in the face? Green in the gills? Think about the colours you're wearing and whether they are injecting the right kind of energy into your day. Calm your nerves with tranquil turquoise, or perk yourself up with a splash of pink. I have a favourite mustard yellow coat that I love to wear during the winter because it can brighten up the dullest days. My great big royal blue infinity scarf has a serenity about it which soothes my soul. My burgundy corduroy trousers warm me up both in body and spirit. Don't drown yourself in black and grey this winter. Have some fun with colour!
2. Start your day with a self-compliment, an inspiring quote, or an encouraging mandate. Instead of treating yourself to an advent calendar chocolate every morning, open up a little note to yourself. Start writing little self-notes, fold them up and place them in a hat or a jar. Every day when you wake up you will have the excitement of picking a note from your lucky dip of love letters. If you're struggling to think of things to write to yourself, just google "inspiring quotes", print them off and fold them up. Make as many self-notes as you can, and when you run out, just make more. When you pick a note each morning, you could slip it in your pocket and re-read it throughout the day. 
3. Take a walk. It's that simple. Wrap up warm and go outside. Preferably, go somewhere with clean air. Most importantly, make sure it's during daylight hours. If you can get out around midday to early afternoon, this will give you maximum exposure to the sun's vital rays. Lift your head up and let the pale winter sunlight seep in through your pores. You might only have ten minutes, but every moment in the fresh air counts. Breath in light, breath out love. 
4. Create sacred space. Remember building a pillow fort as a kid? That cozy, secret space, that only those with a password could enter? Take inspiration from the five-year-old inside and build yourself a grown-up fort, or temple if you will. It could be a little shrine of self-love in the corner of your room, or a full-blown tent of luxurious fabrics and fairy lights. Make this a special place for you to take time out. Fill it with meaningful keepsakes and nostalgic trinkets which help you focus on the things that nurture your soul. Play soothing music, light some incense if that's what you like, and enjoy this space whether you are sitting in meditation, practicing yoga postures, or just taking a nap.
5. Hot drinks and good food. When I say good food, I'm not talking about chocolate. I'm talking about fruit and veg. Resist gorging on carbs and sugar. No matter how much you feel like a bag of chips or a box of chocs will make your day, know that this really isn't true. If you've got a sweet tooth, stock up on dried fruits, such as raisins, prunes, figs and apricots. If you're craving comfort food, throw together a hearty soup, jam-packed with all the vitamins in the world. Fill your cupboards with an array of herbal teas to keep you warm. My favourite is lemon and ginger. 

We can make as many excuses as we like to not follow these helpful hints, but why would we self-sabotage? If you find yourself avoiding self-care rituals, perhaps it is coming from a place of self-loathing and melancholia. If you feel yourself sinking into darkness, confront your fears and admit to yourself that you are struggling. Know that this is a phase which will pass, and that taking small steps in the right direction can lift you out of the winter blues. Be honest with those around you and let them know when you are having a down day. They might have just the right advice for you.