Here are some ideas to keep us warm and hopeful:
- Decreased physical energy and dynamism are normal this time of year. Allow yourself to be restful, reflective and even somber from time to time. Give yourself permission to enjoy being wrapped in warm, cozy blanket on the couch with a cup of tea or hot cocoa and a book.
- Learn to live in and enjoy this moment. Holidays, weekends and retirement are great, but only account for a small portion of the whole of our lives. See Living in the Moment.
- Plan your next vacation. Even if it’s just a weekend in a nearby hotel with a heated indoor swimming pool.
- Buy some Christmas decorations for next Christmas. They’re really cheap right now!
- Start a new habit. This is a great time of year to start journal writing, exercising, volunteering, changing sleeping habits, writing a novel, etc. It may seem cliché to start something new at the start of a new year, but there is a good reason for that. Holiday activities and responsibilities are behind you. You are free of summer activities. And, at this time of year, many of us are feeling a void. Fill it with something you love.
- Practice kindness. It is the kindness of the Christmas holiday season that accounts for much of it power. Continue giving gifts and sending cards throughout the winter season and you will not have to leave the warm spirit of Christmas behind.
- For more ideas, see 7 Ways to Avoid Winter Blues. Number 7 may no longer apply, but the first 6 still do.