A Self-Care Menu to Help You Survive the Winter Blues

Ever since quarantine started back in March, I subconsciously feared the winter months that would inevitably return. I think what gave so much of us hope (especially on the east coast) during the beginning of the covid outbreak was that summer was on its way, and we would, at the very least, be able to spend time outside under the sun. We needed those hot summer days with iced coffee, evening drives with the windows down, socially distanced park picnics that provided much needed in-person human connection. 

I suppose much like “normal summers” before covid, we knew we must fuel up for the winter months - not necessarily with yummy foods like polar bears do, but with vitamin D and good vibes that summer months seem to bring so effortlessly. This summer, it was more important than ever to stock up on mason jars of joy and human connection for the pantry, as all of us were entering into unfamiliar territory. 

And so here we are, just moments away from the first day of winter, and I feel like I am at the bottom of a mountain about to begin my incline. As someone who struggles with seasonal depression, I already know that there will be tough days ahead, mornings when I won’t feel like getting out of bed and evenings when Netflix, Instagram and my new kitten, Gizmo, will be my only company. So what I thought may be helpful to anyone else out there who, like me, is fearing the winter blues, is a self-care menu that you access in the months ahead. In hard moments, you can choose an action from the menu that feels good to you, something that won’t eradicate the pain, but will offer you a dose of comfort. All of these items pair well with those mason jars in the pantry, too ;)

Self-Care Menu

• Take ten deep inhales and exhales (No, really. Try it!)

• Bundle up in cozy attire and go for a 15-minute walk (leave your phone at home!)

• Light a candle, sit somewhere comfy and read for at least a half an hour 

• Put on some good music and invite your body to dance around your home

• Do a puzzle.I have one that has been staring at me since March...just begin!

• Do one of Yoga with Adriene’s Yoga or Meditation Practices - great for all levels! 

• Get yourself an adult coloring book and spend 30 minutes coloring with soothing music in the background

• Make yourself a cup of tea + take ten minutes to journal about what thoughts/feelings/emotions are coming up for you at this time. We love these journals by Odette Press - a small local business!

• Try a new workout on YouTube (Sydney Cummings workouts are my favorite! They’re intense but when I finish, I always feel so GOOD and STRONG!)

• Rearrange furniture or decor in one room in your house. Since we’re spending so much time inside, this can help create a new vibration! Our physical space is important for good mental health.

• Do one chore you’ve been putting off that you know will make you feel good afterwards (make your bed as a gift to your nighttime self!)

• Make yourself your favorite meal (this recipe for grilled cheese and tomato soup is my fave during the winter!)

• Think of an activity that used to bring you joy (baking bread, drawing, singing) and devote a day this week to picking it back up! I bet it would still bring you joy today.

• Buy yourself bubbles and bath salts, and take a bath! I unfortunately don’t have a bathtub in my apartment, but if I did, I would take a bath every night! It makes me feel like a little kid again. Heck, maybe get yourself a rubber ducky, too. You deserve to play! (I linked to a local toy store in Baltimore - it’s great to support small businesses this year!)

• Speaking of play, make time to play something! It’s time we bring back game night. If you have children, start a new routine where you play a game as a family a few nights a week before bed. I do this with my neighbors sometimes and I always have a great time.

• Sit in child’s pose (a yoga posture) and take 10 deep breaths. I love doing this before bed - very relaxing.

• Find a funny movie, make some popcorn, and just enjoy the entertainment! Life should be enjoyed.

• Have yourself a fashion show. I personally love expressing myself through clothes and sadly, because I rarely leave my house these days, I don’t wear my beautiful outfits. Put on some fun beats, and put together a few cool looks. Your clothes miss you…give them a hug!

• Make up songs when you’re doing mundane tasks. “I’m making coffee for myself because it makes me feel SO HAPPY AND AWAKE. I love my coffee, yeah! Dudududu!” I know it sounds silly, but it always makes me laugh when I do this.

• Set up a FaceTime date with someone you miss. I schedule them at nighttime and eat my dinner as if we’re in person out at a restaurant! We cheers each other and everything. 

These are just some items on my Self-Care Menu, so feel free to take ones you like or even create your own! Put it somewhere you can see it easily (on the fridge for example) and in moments where you don’t quite know what to do with yourself, look at the different options and choose one that feels right for you. Some days you will have energy to do the workout and some days the movie idea is going to sound far more appealing, and that’s OK. I do encourage you to switch it up and try different actions so they don’t start to feel stale. 

Above all else, give yourself grace. Enduring winter during a global pandemic is not easy, but try to see it as an invitation to be with yourself and fill your time with things that bring you joy and comfort. We’re in this together, and remember, spring always shows up after every winter.  

If you know someone who may benefit from a self-care menu, share this blog with them. It might be the very thing they need to read right now.