Beating the Winter Blues...

It seems this time of year can be a hard time...I always thought it was post holiday blues. I felt the let down of no more Christmas music, planned family activities and the anticipation of the big day now over...But it is a natural part of winter. For some it can be more serious and those who feel a complete overwhelming loss and depression a visit with a health care professional may help, a lot. It's the darker days that bring about these feelings, our bodies and minds naturally need light to be healthy.

What do you do to combat the Winter Blues? I thought I'd share some things that I have found and am finding out that help me.

1. have a plan for a project--whether it's to organize your photos or your closet, something, having a new purpose after the holidays which has consumed our time with preparations now we can add a new focus. I read a great organizing book: Organizing from the Inside Out, I just need to make my plan but I like her thought that we need to start with a small area so we have a success in very little time, this will keep us motivated!

2. exercise--I know, some of you didn't want to see that but it's common knowledge that exercise releases natural endorphins that can improve our mood besides getting us ready for swimsuit weather and helping us just feel good. Start slow, again small successes keep us motivated. Find something you like an stick with it every day!

3. eat right--we are all old enough to know food can also affect how we feel emotionally and vice versa. Try to substitute sugar foods with fruit, this is what I am trying to do. But allow yourself A treat just not LOTS of treats. Writing down what you eat helps see what food choices you are making and why.

4. read a good book, fun, romantic, non-fiction whatever you like, need ideas? Great non-fiction 3 Cups of Tea or Left to Tell, Historical fiction: Fever 1793 or Chains, Fun/Fantasy: The Goose Girl or Ella, Enchanted (not like the movie) or Princess of the Midnight Ball, Romantic: I would say the Twilight books even though I enjoyed them as a guilty pleasure I am sort of sick of hearing about them--I haven't even seen New Moon (gasp!)because of it, so you are on your own there

5. help someone else, the happiest people seem to find a way to help others and it doesn't have to be big: a note, a prayer in their behalf, a smile

6. read the scriptures of your faith, daily. I feel closer to God when I am reading His words and I feel his spirit more abundantly in my life when I read them it lifts my soul and encourages me in every aspect of my life

7. keep a gratitude journal, write in it daily, it helps us to keep perspective of our own worries and troubles

I know there are more things, so share what works for you! Don't think of this new year as the middle of winter but the beginning of a clean slate, all the wonderful possibilities we can imagine, we can do with some work...and the light will come, it is a little more every day!