TO GET YOU THROUGH A TOUGH WINTER…

Finally ‘tis the season, to run around, shop till you drop, dance until 3 am and basically over do it! I usually love it and become a slightly crazed mad woman by new year, vowing to never do anything or leave the house ever again! But having lived away from friends and family in Asia for years, there is nothing like a Christmas at home and I appreciate it more than ever and know many people are separated from the ones they love.

The holiday season can be tough especially for the one who runs the home, plans all the festivities and who also becomes Santa Claus every Christmas Eve, just like magic! That’s not just people with children, some of us are carers, some of us have elderly or sick family members and some of us just struggle enough to look after ourselves… you know who you are…!

I found this year, getting the flu early on in the season, might have been a blessing in disguise, though it left me mentally tired and low. So I am re-assessing and slowing down… getting some self care remedies in place before the rest starts and keeping just busy enough to not let any loneliness thoughts come into play, which is a tough balance! Even those surrounded by family, can feel loneliness through the winter months especially. So as well as looking after myself, I am going to take the time to reach out to friends and family who I think might be struggling this year, spend time with those who perhaps it is their first Christmas alone or who have had a tough year.

I’ve put together a few self care remedies to help you through the season to come. Take some extra TLC and share some joy with others! I suffer badly throughout the winter season, especially with S.A.Ds, the lack of sunshine is difficult for a Spring baby… during the winter months, it is cold, wet, and gloomy. It is hard not to feel isolated during such a season. The days are short and the nights are long. It often seems easier for negativity to seep into our minds, and eventually our everyday routine. Here are some tips to get us all through…

1. CONNECTING WITH OTHERS

It is easy to isolate yourself from others such as friends and family, especially when it’s cold and everyone hides in their houses. You may find comfort in being alone, I do, but then again not too much. Sometimes especially in winter, I feel like my friends especially those with children have forgotten I exist, but it’s mostly in my head and it’s amazing how one catch up can lift your entire energy and your feelings melt away. During winter, you may also find yourself being less physically active, withdrawn from your normal activities, and you may even find yourself slightly down or unmotivated. You can avoid the winter blues by staying ahead of your self-care by being a little social. You don’t have to be a social butterfly during this time of year, but you should always have a friend that you can talk to about how you are feeling. Talking with others can help relieve and reduce stress. Even dragging yourself to your yoga class, you will feel such a boost of practicing with others. Connecting, together.

2. WALK MORE, DRIVE LESS

This is one that sounds easy to implement, but is harder than you think… mentally speaking! With the evenings dark and cold, getting yourself on foot to the local shops or on your commute in the cold can be tough. But replacing your short drives with walks is a wonderful way to get your dose of fresh air, natural light and exercise during the cold months. Added bonus: if you commute by foot instead of by car, you don’t have to deal with the stresses of traffic. To level up your walking experience, put on your headphones and listen to an audio book or meditation.

3. WARM YOURSELF - INSIDE OUT

Being cold is a dreaded feeling and even though with global warming, the winters are so much milder in the UK than ever, no more snow! You are prone to feel more vulnerable and discouraged when your body temperature is down even just slightly. The cold chill in the air doesn’t just affect your immune system, your skin, your hair, it can also affect your emotional well being. Self-care can include a few of your winter favorites that everyone seems to enjoy.

A few ways that are recommended to give your soul a touch of warmness could be:

• Taking a hot bubble bath.

• Drinking your favorite hot cocoa, tea blends or hot lemon.

• Enjoying a nice hot bowl of soup or broth.

• Sitting under a cozy blanket reading your favorite book. All things Hugge (remember thaat!).

• Remembering to take rest when you need it, yoga teaches us that rest and recovery are just as important as prana energy. Snuggling in bed with your family or on the sofa for an extra 10 minutes or warm mediations.

A nice warming tea blend I like to make is Apple Pie Tea, I like to call it anyway! Simply mix the below into your tea pot or infuser. It has rooibos as a base because of its natural sweet flavor. Besides, this dessert tea should be suitable for children as well, so leaving out teas with caffeine (you can of course add). It’s easy to blend and makes a cup of tea with a delightful sweet and lightly tangy taste. Add some cocoa drops or nips for a creamier tea.

Ingredients:

• 2 spoons of Rooibos tea

• 1-2 teaspoon of dried apple

• 1 inch of cinnamon stick

• ½ inch of vanilla pod

4. THE MOST IMPORTANT TYPE OF SELF-CARE IS YOU!

You need to eat well-balanced meals during the colder months. It is easy to want to eat from boredom or depression. Your diet can play a big role in how you will feel during the winter… and there is so many naughty temptations about! To cook up a comforting winter soup or stew, look for hearty and healthy ingredients such as root vegetables, chickpeas, carrot and sweet potato. The Hemsley sister’s shared their favourites with Vogue here, you can adapt for your cupboard/nutrition and all have warming spices and herbs.

You can also focus on a good workout routine to stay in good shape. A simple workout routine can help you stay active during the frigid weather. Winter is often a time when we put our physical health on the back burner because sometimes it’s just easier to skip it. But in the long run, exercise will make you feel good. Include some exercise and meditation in your daily routine.

5. UNPLUG FROM YOUR PHONE.

By now I think we all know, especially us yogi’s the importance of unplugging from the world and technologies. As any good GP would recognise, many an aliment could be fixed by re-connecting with nature, sitting in stillness and moving your body daily. The effect of technology has on our minds is fully known. Because we’re less active during winter, we can resort to mindlessly scrolling through social media on our smartphones more easily. By constantly checking our phone, we’re setting ourselves up for trouble. Our smartphones can heighten winter depression, keep us locked indoors and mess with our sleep. So, every now and then, lose your phone and lose yourself in a good book instead, another one that sounds easy to do but can be harder to implement!

Here are some tips to help you keep your phone in your pocket, or if you’re feeling really brave, to leave it at home altogether…

WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW WON’T HURT YOU…

Put that thing on silent. In most cases, all it takes is a simple swipe or push of a button, so just do it. This way you won’t be bombarded with notifications whenever you get a message. In other words: you decide when to react to WhatsApp, text messages and Facebook requests, not your phone. Nice and relaxed. I have my phone on silent most of the time, it is face down on my desk when working or in the studio as to not to be drawn into picking it up all the time!

Setting your phone on “airplane mode” is also a good tip, but you can do even better. Stop thinking that people are expecting you to react immediately to their messages. They’ll be fine if they have to wait a bit. Start dedicating only three or four times a day to checking social media and answering messages. You’ll notice that this gives you a lot more peace throughout the day.

GO LOW-TECH…

This one is pretty easy, but extremely effective. We know it’s convenient to set an alarm on your phone to wake you up in the morning. But unfortunately, this also means that it’s easier to pick up the phone for other reasons. Whether it’s the middle of the night or right after you wake up, checking your telephone is probably the first thing you do. Buy a clock radio, set it next to your bed, and leave your phone alone. I have a Lumie clock, another little winter tip to hep you rise and shine, my phone is charged in a different room over night, which leads us nicely onto…

TREAT YOUR BEDROOM LIKE A NO-GO ZONE…

Remember that you’re not supposed to bring your laptop to bed with you, because then you’ll be reminded of work when you should be resting. Having your phone in your bedroom can affect your sleep just as negatively. Been there, got the t-shirt. Make a routine of checking social media and your e-mail before you go to bed and leave your phone in another room. Some days I even put it upstairs from 7pm, unless I have plans. Then I am fully engaged with my family or friends, cooking or meal prep for the evening. Writing lists is a winner for me before bed, getting the whirling noise and buzzing thoughts out before I start to wind down for my evening stretches.

YOU’RE NOT MISSING OUT. REALLY.

Yes, we know it’s difficult to accept. But try disabling all notifications and their corresponding icons. This won’t just declutter your screen, it will also take away the sense of urgency you may feel about your phone. Take a moment and really think about this: how many times has an icon compelled you to open an app, out of fear that you may be missing something? Exactly. No more icons, email notifications and no more fear. Easy, right?

I take this from my friends who have quit facebook altogether and the peace that has brought them... I still enjoy seeing my friends photos and things going on. I worry that they really will forget I exist or get in a huff for not ‘liking a post’ or unfollowing/muting them on social. But sometimes, we all just need a break. If you need to really switch off, I find not checking social media can really help with my creativity for example. Enjoying the world around me without a phone in my hand, opens up my mind to connect to those around me and really opens my mind to meditation, especially when painting.

Give these a try, I can guarantee your mood will lift, but the rest is up to you. 24 hours without your smartphone. Leave it at home, turn it off, put it on silent, disable notifications—whatever you want and do step 1, reconnect with family and friends (in real life!) As long as you keep doing it you’ll start to feel amazing. Otherwise, you’ll never become a true modern Samurai.

Namaste x