Embrace the cold, the dark and the wet

 
Unproductive, demotivated and tired. This is how 9 out of 10 people feel in winter. “Yes, of course I hate it! I’m tired and cold and I never see the sun because it’s down when I leave in the morning and it sets before I get home, therefore I am less motivated and less productive in the winter!”
I hear you.
These issues are very real, as well as the seasonal depression that can hit at this time of year. The cold and dark clouds and our vision can lead to despondency and despair. 
Only for 1 out of 10 people winter is her/his favorite season, but why? And how can we learn appreciating winter from this person or from people in the northern countries who don’t see the sun for month (not because it is grey and rainy…there is really no daylight!)?

Science fact
This described winter depression is also known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and mainly caused by a lack of vitamin D and the “happiness hormone” serotonin, due to a less present uptake from sunlight in this time of the year. Serotonin regulates the day/night rhythm and especially in winter we easily get a serotonin/melanin (counterpart from serotonin) disbalance. The result: we feel demotivated, tired, depressed and unsatisfied. But it is also easy to increase your serotonin and happiness level! First, do more things you enjoy, so your happiness hormones will increase dramatically! Second, go outside even if the weather is not the best and catch as much sunlight as possible (the radiation is there, even if the sky looks grey). Third, a lot of different food contains a good amount of tryptophan, the preliminary stage of serotonin e.g., salmon, banana, avocado, (cashew) nuts, soybeans, mushrooms, quinoa, in this case eating makes you really happier =). Conclusion: having a nice dinner with your loved ones including serotonin rich food, followed by a nice walk is the best you can do to booster your happiness hormones.

People who enjoy winter often don’t focus on restrictions of this season of the year, but on opportunities which are given. Instead of complaining about the cold they enjoy the coziness of warm winter clothes, lovely heats and colorful scarfs. Instead of missing an outdoor picnic they are enthusiastic for the upcoming skiing holidays, Christmas or just a hot chocolate, tea or coffee at home, which is brighten by the warming glow of candles. This means, it is not a matter of cold season we don’t like, it is a matter of our “winter-mindset”! In other words, our beliefs, if we like winter or not are subjective and the best thing about it: alterable if you want it to be. 

Ask yourself what comes into your mind when you think about winter. Do you limit your own happiness just because of some negative aspects of this season? If yes, why? Try to focus on the positive aspects of winter and think more about why you (want to) enjoy this time of the year. It is also nice to ask some friends or your family about what they like most in winter and to do lovely winter things together. 

Why is it so difficult for us to embrace winter?
Looking into the nature, to trees and animals gives us a clear idea about what winter is meant to be: a time of rest and recovery, slowing down and preparation for growing in spring. Sounds super logical, doesn't it? After you have achieved top performance and run a marathon, for example, you don't continue training the next day, but take a break. But not many of us (are able to) take the time to slow down and to listen to the winter, our bodies and minds.
It’s sending us very clear signals that we should be sleeping more, resting, staying home, cooking hearty and tasty food, and spending time reflecting on the past year while preparing for the next that’s right around the corner.
But who has time for all that?
We’ve got schedules to keep, jobs to go to, kids to raise, pets to take care of, exams to write and the list goes on. We don’t have time to slow down!
And this is really why we're dissatisfied with this chilly season. We can’t help but see the signals telling us to slow down and rest; they’re literally surrounding us in our indoor and outdoor environments.
We feel like we can’t listen to them and we are afraid that our lives can’t slow down, so a deep disharmony is created. BUT, GOOD NEWS: You definitely can take a moment to breathe and recover. Who would be mad at you? Would you be disappointed when a friend needs some time for her/his self, or when a colleague or housemate is not as productive as usually? Most likely not. Because we all feel the same and it is just in your imagination that you can’t relax. Or it is only your super high expectations.

 So, try to use the grey season to focus on yourself and on things you like, especially those you have no time to do it, because the weather in summer is “to good” and it is better to spent the time outdoor than inside. Perhaps you have this book, you want to read since a very long time, but in summer there are always BBQs or other things with friends. Or as a child you were super creative, but now there is always something “more important or you can do something more productive”. That’s actually the perfect time to say “hi” to your old you and start to paint again or create something hand-crafted or pick your old instrument out of its locker. But sometimes it is also fine to just be lazy and chill and watch a movie or series with some popcorn or/and nachos. 

In summary, most important - take care of yourself and your loved ones. In winter you feel more like staying at home, which is totally ok! Take your time to go even deeper into your own thoughts, visions and dreams: reflect and plan for spring the “growing season” and see winter as a preparation for it, because it is always good to have a project plan before you actually start with your project, otherwise it is very chaotic. 
·        What was your highlight of the last year? 
·        What was in general nice and what didn’t work out? And don’t forget to ask why! 
·        What did you learn the last year? 
·        What else can you learn from last year? 
·        What do you want to improve/achieve in the new year? 
·        Do you have any concrete aims/plans, like career, friendship or vacation? 
·        With which people do you want to spend your time? 
 
Make your vision as concrete as possible, and write everything down. How do you feel when you think about it? 

 
I hope you enjoyed reading and have a little motivation to work on your “winter-mindset”, 
 
Feel embraced, 
 
Yours Dominique <3