Living in Oregon has an immeasurable amount of perks. At the tip of your fingertips one has access to cool coffee shops, microbrews, hiking trails through the mountains and people from all walks of life. The good typically outweighs the band in this corner of the country. However, my least favorite thing about this place I call home is the winter weather.

A typical winter day here is a lot of rain and very little sun. This takes a toll on my emotional health. Through the years I have found a few things that help with the winter blues.

• Do something for yourself daily.

One of the things that stresses me out the most is when I feel like a have an imbalance of time. There are a lot of things that pull for my attention on a daily basis. When I focus on only checking tasks off my list, and neglecting time for myself I feel out of balance. I strive to do something that will feed my soul on each day. This could be something as simple as reading for fun, for fifteen minutes, or dancing in my living room with my roommates to the new Katy Perry single.

• Exercise.

I know this sentiment can seem redundant, but it isn’t. Moving your body and taking care of yourself physically can translate into your emotions. Your body is created to move. Listen to it. Find a workout you enjoy, put on your favorite songs and spend some time taking care of what you’ve been given. My favorite Yoga video for this time of year is “Yoga For the Winter Blues” by Yoga With Adrienne on Youtube.

• Spend time with people who give you life.

The people you surround yourself with can make a big difference in your emotional health. There’s nothing worse than being forced to spend time with people who exhaust you. When going through a tough time, it’s important to be around people who are going to fill your days with life instead of dragging it out of you. Find the people you can be yourself around, and that you enjoy being with. You can try different restaurants, see movies together, or just sit together and talk about your lives. Whatever it may be, be sure you’re with people who genuinely love you.

Winter can seem long and treacherous. Find ways to help yourself deal with the dreary days that feel they’ll never end. We can make it through it.