Recharge instead of winter blues?
With this 3+1 method, you will succeed!
Winter melancholy or winter depression is a familiar feeling for many people – often without them understanding exactly why they feel tired and unmotivated. This phenomenon even has a name: Blue Monday, the saddest day of the year. This actually refers to a single Monday in January, but let’s face it, it’s not just one day – if we’re not careful, the whole of January and February can become a gray, exhausting period.
However, winter brings not only challenges but also opportunities. We tend to complain about the cold, early darkness, and unpleasant weather, forgetting that this season can also be about rest and self-care. It is a time when we can allow ourselves to slow down – curled up with a mug of hot chocolate, a book, or in the company of our loved ones.
Nature is in no hurry either. Trees and flowers are gathering strength now so that they can bloom again in spring. Why shouldn’t we do the same? If we constantly rush spring, we miss the most important message of winter: the time to pause, listen inwardly, and recharge.
That’s why I’ve come up with 3+1 special tips to help you recharge your batteries during the cold months – not the usual “what to eat, what to drink, where to go” list, but something you need to work through internally.
TIP 1: Be PRESENT!
I’ll start with the hardest one. Practice this the most. Be present in the moment, in events, and in your own life. Now you might say, “Sure, you’re always present.” But if you feel that time is rushing by and you often find that the day has only just begun and it’s already over, and you can hardly remember anything that happened to you that day, then you have certainly missed the present. Life has passed you by, and it passes you by every day if you are not PRESENT. This is difficult because it is based on attention. Sharp attention, and that is very difficult these days when we are bombarded with so many stimuli.
How do you do it?
This is what mindfulness is all about. The essence of it is to focus your attention on the present without worrying about the past or the future. Everyone has their own individual technique for this. It can be conscious breathing, meditation, walking in nature, or just sitting down and paying attention to the things around you. What works best for me is to retreat a little, sit down, and focus my attention on the things in the room. As I begin to observe my surroundings, I also see the individual who is observing. Then I am present, and that moment seems to last for minutes or hours. I know that I am paying attention and that I am present. When I practice a lot, it works not only in an empty room, but even on a crowded tram. But I’ve also experienced it at a loud concert. 🙂
By experiencing the present, you can understand important connections in your life, discover the causes of your problems, and become happier as a result.
Mindfulness can help reduce stress, improve concentration, and increase overall well-being. You can also look online to find out what practical steps are recommended. These two books helped me a lot in developing my own technique:
- Volker Busch: “Kopf frei!” (“Free your mind”) – Clarity, focus, creativity
- Magan Logan: Be Kind To Yourself Workbook
TIP 2: Accept everyone as they are!
This sentence always used to upset me because I thought I was really accepting. But it often turned out that I wasn’t so accepting after all. I could get upset if someone didn’t act the way I wanted them to, the way I imagined them to. It helped me to accept this when I understood that every individual sees the world and me and my actions differently. No two perspectives are the same. It simply doesn’t exist. That’s why you can’t expect people to understand you and see you the way you want them to. You can’t expect them to see you for who you really are. Everyone has different lenses through which they view the world, which are sometimes clouded and sometimes sharpened by their individual life experiences. All you can do is understand and accept this. By doing so, you will spare yourself a lot of stress. Don’t overthink things, accept them, move on, and you will be happier.
No matter what you do, there will always be people who don’t like it. Don’t try to please others, please yourself!
TIP 3: Find your center again!
We are exposed to thousands of stimuli every day. On our way to work, we encounter crowds of bustling people and interact with them on a daily basis. Who knows where they are rushing to and why they are so nervous? Either way, you inevitably absorb their energy when a quarreling couple sits down next to you on the subway and you have to listen to their bickering. You’ve already collected about 500 stimuli, and it’s only morning! Then at work, you have deadlines, irritable customers, and nervous bosses. That adds another 2,000 stimuli to your day. On your way home, you eagerly consume social media on your phone as if you’ve been starving for days. Your food is well-composed Facebook and Instagram posts, of which you view twenty or thirty (and the same number of hidden advertisements). All this can add up to about 3,000 stimuli in a single day. This is increasing more and more thanks to modern technology and our fast-paced world.
There’s nothing wrong with that, except that you’re unable to process so much stimulation. If you can’t process it, you’ll just become more irritable and end up being a perfect member of the chattering crowd on the morning subway, who may be chattering out of habit because they’ve forgotten how to find their way back to themselves.
You have to find your center again and again, several times a day if necessary. The same things will happen in your life as before, but you will only pay attention to those that are truly meant for you. This will not only make you calmer, but also happier.
How can you find your center again?
Have days, or at least half days, when you don’t log into Facebook or Instagram! Don’t pay attention to what others are doing, where they’ve been, or what they’ve eaten. Don’t constantly check your emails either. It’s best to turn off your phone. Instead, light a candle, open a bottle of wine, and read a good book! While you’re doing that, pay attention to the book and to yourself! I know this is incredibly difficult with work or children. If it’s important, you’ll find a solution. If it’s not important, you’ll find an excuse. Make it important!
TIP 3+1.: Practice gratitude!
It cannot be emphasized enough how important gratitude is in turning things around for the better. Think about everything you have achieved in life! What have you overcome, survived, or solved? Be grateful for your strength, courage, and perseverance. You can feel grateful for the beautiful moments you have experienced. Yes, even if things are difficult right now, because your hands are freezing as you stand at the bus stop in the snow and frost, and you can’t wait to get home. Think of the carefree moments of hot summer vacations, or simply be grateful that you have a place to go home to.
Feeling grateful multiplies the good things in your life. Nurture this feeling within yourself and notice how it lifts your spirits.
This is how I do it
For me, relaxation consists of two things. On the one hand, I calm my thoughts. I allow my racing thoughts to appear, but I don’t let them take center stage; instead, I let them go as quickly as they came. On the other hand, I fill my soul with good feelings. I choose activities that bring me joy. It’s much easier to write this down. Doing it is much harder, but practice makes perfect.
The solution to winter melancholy
As the cold, gray days drag on, many people feel tired, listless, or unmotivated – this is what we call winter blues. The holidays are over, spring still seems far away, and the monotony of everyday life can easily take its toll on our mood. But is this feeling really inevitable? Fortunately, there is a solution! Apply the tips above and fill the winter season with joy and energy.
