Self Care Tips For Wintertime Blues
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

Self Care Tips For Wintertime Blues

How to care for yourself during the season of thin skin.

69
Self Care Tips For Wintertime Blues
Melissa Martinelli

As the golden leaves begin to drop in bundles and the trees are laid bare, so do our souls. We may feel more sensitive than usual, a little gloomier, and easily permeable not only to the chilly wind but the words and feelings of others.

Every falling-out we experience or rejection or non-invite weighs on us a bit heavier in ways that wouldn’t happen when the flowers are in full bloom and the sun is warming our skin.

It took me a few years to recognize the thinning of my emotional skin as Fall transitions into Winter. Granted, I am a sensitive ass human being, more so than most people I know, but that is ok.

Realizing this meant that I had to be more conscious of the ways the seasons affect my inner being and work with it, not against it. So I came up with a few self-care tips that I carry with me as they carry me through the heavier parts of the winter.

Physical health:

Be active. Sometimes getting yourself out of bed and finding ways to get your body moving - whether that be a run or yoga or lifting - is what you need to get out of that rut. It can be hard to peel the warm covers off of you and even harder to get out your front door, but the chilly air has a way of emptying your mind and cooling the emotions that may be stirring up within you.

Or maybe, what you really need is sleep. It’s normal to find yourself wanting to sleep more during these months. Not only is the weather stirring up your soul but the end of the semester is rapidly approaching, deadlines are looming, and we may find ourselves easily overwhelmed and exhausted.

Allow your body to hibernate whenever it needs to. Brew a cup of tea, turn off your phone (this is so important), bundle up in warm blankets and get the sleep your body so desperately needs.

Emotional health:

We are emotional beings, especially during this time when they feel heightened. Journal. Talk. Cry. Acknowledge and accept your feelings. Too often we get caught in the “why am I feeling this way?” when the truth of the matter is that no matter why your feelings are valid nonetheless. Pour them out on paper.

Talk to a close friend or family member that truly listens and doesn’t try to pierce your already papery-thin skin. And cry. For goodness sake, sometimes you need a good cry whether it be in your car or shower or suddenly on your walk to class (been there, done that). Emotions demand to be felt regardless of the time. The more you try to push them away, the more they continue to resurface until you acknowledge them.

Social:

Sometimes we push ourselves to go out and be social when in actuality, the thing we truly wanted to do most was stay in. Don’t feel obligated to be social if you’d rather have time to yourself to recharge.

Reflect on the relationships in your life and realize that some may be draining and it might be time to be a little selfish and put your wellbeing first. Or maybe, you suddenly feel left out and alone despite having wholesome friendships.

It’s easy to take things personally but it’s important to remember that whatever others do has nothing to do with you; it is only a projection of their own mind, their own reality.

And most of all, breathe. Like the seasons, so too will these feelings come and go. It is important to understand and honor them as they reside within us and then let them go. Remember that your fragile wintertime skin will eventually thaw and life will be in full bloom once more.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

58945
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

38053
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

959564
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

195886
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments