Turn Winter Blues into Winter Bliss
Many of us get the blues from time to time and sometimes depression enters our lives without warning and can stick around longer than we want or even had anticipated. Some of us even suffer from Seasonal Affect Disorder, a seasonal condition of depression and lethargy which occurs during the darker times of the year... primarily Autumn and Winter. Seasonal Affect Disorder is a biochemical imbalance in the brain that is triggered by shorter hours of sunlight or daylight and less sunlight in Autumn and Winter.
I have always believed it takes a warrior to be happy in this life, especially for those of us who are more sensitive creative beings. What I mean by this is that if happiness is what you seek or desire then sometimes you must be pro-active to achieve this state of being.
The good news is there are things that we can do to take action and turn our winter blues into winter bliss! Most of the tips I will be sharing in this blog entry will help lift your mood anytime of the year!
Before I get into all of the tips I want to share with you that will help you to shift your mood into a brighter place, I want to share some exciting news with you! I have just created a brand new Bliss Elixir which has been helping to lift my spirits and put a spring in my step this Winter! I am so happy to be able to share this with all of my friends, loved one's and with my online community. I also want to offer this elixir at a discounted rate for anyone who is struggling financially. Please feel free to contact me via email if you are feeling financially challenged and are dealing with depression anxiety or lethargy and want to give this beautiful elixir a try. I am not rich myself, financially speaking.... I am rich in many other ways and am so grateful to be alive and able to experience being a spirit in a human body! Because I know what it is to feel financially challenged, I feel it is important to not allow money to keep people from getting the healing they need to thrive in this world!
So, how do you turn your winter blues into winter bliss? Here are some tips to help you to change your attitude and in tune change your life....
Start your day off right! I love to start my day by adding some cheerful energizing aroma therapy to my diffuser (which I keep by my bed). Any diffuser will do, but in the winter time I love to use the traditional diffusers, with a candle that you light beneath the water, as this incorporates both water and fire into my daily morning ritual. I use beeswax tea-light candles as they are better for our lungs and beeswax has healing properties and such a beautiful scent! There is nothing like Bee Medicine to help buzz you into bliss! I enjoy making my own ceremonial beeswax candles now and soon I will be offering them through my website & Etsy shop!
Here is a list of Aromatherapies to help brighten your mood & put a spring in your step:
Essential Oils that help Brighten your Mood & Inspire you
Sweet Orange,
Neroli (So yummy!),
Grapefruit,
Jasmine,
Frankincense,
Basil,
Sandalwood,
Lavender
Essential Oils that put a Spring in your step:
Sweet Orange,
Peppermint,
Rosemary,
Lemon
Let the Sunshine In!
Even if I am not ready to leave my bed yet, I open my curtains and climb back into bed. Opening my blinds and curtains and letting the healing natural light of the sun in to my room which I find is a good way to both lift my mood and give me the energy I need to start my day. If it is raining do not be discouraged! Any form of natural light has proven to be healing. Studies have shown that exposing ourselves to sunshine for 20 to 30 minutes a day can help heal depression. Our bodies need Vitamin D, which the sun provides naturally. Vitamin D helps to boost our immunity as well and has countless advantages.
And remember rain is a beautiful blessing! It helps the flowers, herbs & food to grow, nourishes the soil & all of life. Over 60% of human adult bodies are made of water! Sometimes changing our perspective about things can really help improve our mood. Mind over matter really does work as does shifting into an attitude of gratitude. Instead of cursing the rain, try thanking the rain. Maybe you are not in the mood to appreciate all of the wonderful things that rain does for this earth. Perhaps you can just look out your window and see the rain in a different way appreciating it's beauty or the way that it sounds. Sometimes we must think out of the box to reprogram our minds or to get ourselves out of a negative perspective or slump that we may find ourselves in.
It is also extremely helpful to let some oxygen into your room by opening your window and letting the fresh air flow in to your space. Prana is a magical life force energy that pulses through all of nature and also flows in and around the body. Each time we take a breath out we allow for fresh prana to enter into our body. This is why breathing excercises can bring positive results to our overall well being. Prana exists in all of nature. Without nature there would be no prana and life would cease to exist. Letting the fresh air into your room and in turn your lungs will help increase your own prana, with little effort. Prana also gives us energy and helps us to raise our endorphins and experience blissful states of being. it promotes longevity, boosts our immune system, prevents senility..... the benefits are endless. I know a man who cured himself of cancer simply by hugging trees and breathing in the prana they provide.
Meditate & Stretch your way out of bed:
If you are having trouble feeling motivated to even leave your bed in the morning, try meditating.
"Transcendental
Meditation (meditation)
Speaks of inner (speaks of)
Preservation (inner preservation)
Transcendental meditation gives you peace of mind
(Peace of mind)" -Stevie Wonder
Meditation can be done anytime anywhere in any posture. Often people feel blocked from practicing meditation when they are feeling lazy or lethargic. If you are feeling this way, try a more lazy method of meditation which can be done in the comfort of your own bed. There are so many forms of meditation. I recommend exploring different modalities to find what works best for you. Meditation can be as simple as concentrating on your breath or repeating a mantra, which can be beneficial for a busy mind. The purpose of meditation is to detach from our bodies, minds and emotions in order to transcend to a heightened level of spiritual awareness.
Stretching can also be very simple and easy. I like to follow my bodies own inner intelligence to move and stretch in ways that are best for my body in any given moment. In the morning, I find this type of stretching to be the easiest to engage in as I am allowing my body to do what it wants to do to feel better. Our bodies have an innate intelligence. If you start to move your body in subtle ways you will notice different parts of your body that may feel tense or even painful. Allow your subtle movements to naturally lead into stretches that bring release to these areas. Stretching can actually raise our endorphins helping us to feel happier and more ready to face the day. This is also a way to start your day with some self care which is always beneficial for our bodies, minds, hearts and spirits! Sometimes my morning stretches lead to morning yoga.... on a good day! Then I simply spread a blanket out next to my bed and begin my yoga routine. There are so many forms of yoga and again it is best to explore and find what is right for you.
Eat a healthy breakfast:
Breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day! Self care can be as simple as eating a nourishing breakfast. When our bodies are filled with nutritious food this enhances our well being and effects our mood in a positive way. Our brains are interconnected with our bodies. I recommend making a healthy choice for your brain and your emotions by eating a well balanced breakfast. We are all so different and so I recommend giving your body what's right for you. And if you need some inspiration search online as there are many good suggestions for a healthy breakfast out there in the interwonderland! I made up a new word! LOL!
Now that we have covered some tips on a healthy way to start your day, I want to offer some other tips which can be done at anytime day or night and will also help you to turn your Winter Blues into Winter Bliss!
Dance your way to Bliss!
The habit of regular exercise or outdoor physical activity like hiking has shown to be effective in the management of depression and anxiety. I recommend you do physical activity that is right for you, that makes you feel good and that uplifts your spirit!
I love to dance and find that dancing lifts my mood significantly, inspires me, helps connect me with the divine and can shift my whole being into a better place. If you also love dancing I recommend taking some time each day to turn on your favourite tunes and dance dance dance!
Music is Medicine for the Soul!
There are many ways that you can incorporate music into your daily routine. One of the simplest ways is to find some time each day to play some uplifting music or any music that makes you feel happy. I rarely advertise for things and am not into doing that for monetary gain as it does not sit right with me. Know that if I recommend something to you it comes from my heart! With that, I would love to share with you one of my go to's for music which is:
KCRW is a public radio channel based in Santa Monica California. They rely on donations to sustain themselves and the DJ's for the music shows are given the instruction to play what they love, which is truly refreshing! There are a number of different shows to choose from with an assortment of musical genres. I love to listen to the various shows on this station as I often hear new music that has just come out and music that I normally would not be exposed to. I live, in Canada and while I love Canada with all my heart I have always felt we are musically deprived when it comes to what is played on the radio here. I have been listening to KCRW since I was in High School & highly recommend checking them out!