Tis The Season(al depression).
“It’s that season!”
On the go? Scroll to the bottom of this post to listen to the recording of it on YouTube!
First, an affirmation. “I am claiming patience, release and new, healthier beginnings this month. Stability, abundance and love will continue to fill me. I will trust in my process and my path. I will apply the lessons I’ve learned. The foundations of my wildest dreams are being forged. One step at a time; one breath at a time.
October 1st. New month. New energy. New opportunities. New money. New faith. New goals. New joy. New peace. New love. New gratitude. New…habits? The season has officially changed and the cold is setting in. How are you preparing your body and mind (both of which become more susceptible to seasonal depression this time of year)? Here are five changes you can implement this month to benefit your journey of wellness overall as winter approaches!
1) Social Media Curfew: One thing I’ve been stressing to you all lately is the importance of a social media curfew. We’ve learned over the last months that repeated exposure to trauma (whether it be direct or second-hand/media induced) can have detrimental effects on our overall wellbeing; potentially even leaving us with symptoms of PTSD. One way to combat overwhelming yourself with negative information is by setting and abiding a social media curfew. Pick a time each night that you’d like to cut off your access to the internet. In it’s place, try to pick up other night time habits like reading, yoga, meditation or other things that might help you practice mindfulness and ultimately allow you to sleep better.
2) Movement: Now I know for some of us lazier folks out there, this one might not be so easy to commit to; however, as someone who has been struggling with maintaining my physical health and battling chronic pain for quite some time now I’d like to say this: If you don’t take care of your body, it will punish you. Your body is your temple, and as such, you must give it the things it needs in order to thrive. Movement is something you can start on a small and gradually increasing scale. Whether it be dancing, walking, stretching or sex, the benefits of movement for not just your physical but your mental and spiritual health is paramount.
3) Achievable Goals: Oftentimes it’s easy to get caught up in the future and in our long term goals. Craving things like the perfect vacation, job, spouse or living situation are ideal and normal things to look forward to. But in the meantime, it can be hard to stay motivated when you know you have a ways to go before you can realistically achieve those things. To combat the negative feelings that can be associated with this, set small, short-term, achievable goals. Things you can accomplish with a significant, but smaller amount of effort and time. Think about some things you can accomplish by the end of this month that will help you out on your overall journey of wellness. These things can be simple, like drinking a certain amount of water a day; or something more complex, like finishing a certain amount of books or starting a new project.
4) Attitude Of Gratitude: Your attitude of gratitude is imperative and something that can be the difference between your potential outlook on love and life. You can enact your attitude of gratitude in several ways! Acknowledging the joys of each day and celebrating the small wins are a great place to start. Leaning into your faith; trusting that through God all things are possible is another mindset change that will make this easier. An attitude of gratitude allows you to push past your fears and see the good, the bright side, the silver lining in each and every situation.
5) Act With Intention: Intentional living is a great way to combat seasonal depression and an even greater way to boost your motivation, drive and productivity when it comes to accomplishing your goals. Routines are the best way to start living your best life intentionally, because they are structural and require discipline! Structure helps us to remain calm in stressful or uncertain situations because we aren’t lost on what still needs to be done, (and healthy distractions are key). Routines can have almost any time frame, whether it be morning, evening, daily, weekly or monthly things to implement into your life, following your routines and being disciplined about them shows you that you are worth the effort it takes to pour into yourself.
So there you have it! Five things you can start implementing now, that will help you remain in the best spirits you can as the days shorten, the air becomes more brittle and the sun more shy! Getting started on these things now means you won’t be caught too deep in your seasonal depression to pull yourself out of it with more serious measures or means. As always, I am not a therapist, and I encourage all of you who are contemplating seeking therapy to give it a shot. If you have questions about mental health resources and where to find them, never hesitate to reach out. Wishing you all the best.
Jai.