Ways to keep a positive mindset

We are coming into my least favorite time of the year. As the colder weather comes, my happiness drops and my motivation to take care of myself tends to be a struggle. Over the years I’ve dealt with seasonal depression, and at one point I found myself really struggling and decided to get on medication which was such a game changer for me.  I have been able to get off the medication because I have figured out different activities that are extremely therapeutic for me and my health.  If you struggle during this time of year, I encourage you to try to incorporate some of the following things to help try and boost your mood on the days where you are really struggling to stay positive. 

1. Move your body – this is the number one thing I look forward to every day. At least 30 minutes of exercise truly provides me with the dopamine reaction I need. My goal for the rest of the year is to get myself outside for at least 30 minutes a day. 

2. Appreciate the little things – As silly as it seems, I look forward to my iced coffee every morning.  It’s not silly to appreciate something as little as coffee. I truly start my day off right when I have my coffee first thing in the morning.
   
3. Positive affirmations – There is so much negativity in the world today, especially when scrolling through social media.  I have a whole pinterest board of little reminders that I look through whenever I’m feeling down.
   
4. Follow your passion – Find something that sets your soul on fire. When you’re working towards something you love, you will find endless happiness.
   
5. Listen to music – Music truly is the best way for me to change my mood. When you’re feeling down, put on your favorite playlist and lock yourself in a room and have a dance party. (Or if you need to cry it out, put on your favorite ‘sad’ playlist and cry as long as you need to in order to get it out of your system). Let’s be real, we all deserve to have a good cry every once in a while.
   
6. Journal/write down your feelings: Try to get your negative thoughts out of your head and onto paper.
   
7. Create a positive environment: For me, this means minimal clutter. Having a clean/organized home/workspace is something that really helps with my mindset every day. 

8. Breathe and re-focus: When I start feeling overwhelmed and stressed, I find it in my best interest to take some time by myself where I can just breathe and relax.  This can be 15 minutes of sitting outside or going for a drive to pick up an iced coffee. As long as I take some time throughout my day to breathe and gather my thoughts, I find myself feeling more at ease. Focus on today and what your goals are and what you want to accomplish.  Focus on your truth and don’t let your mind travel further than that. 
   
9. Go outside – Vitamin D truly does wonderful things for your soul. When I’m vitamin deficient, my hormones get the best of me and I can easily snap from one extreme to another. Go outside and soak up some sunlight. If you’re limited on sunlight during this time of year, look for some Vitamin D supplements to help. 
   
10. Express your feelings: This is something I am working on every day. I will be the first to admit that I am not the best at communicating my feelings when I am struggling. When I do decide to talk it out, I feel 1000x better. I have to remember that no one can read my mind and know exactly what I’m thinking, even if sometimes I think they should. 

Remember that this hard time you’re going through is just a season.  You will get through it eventually, even though sometimes you feel like you won’t. With the world we live in today it is SO IMPORTANT to take care of yourself. Sometimes that means you need to unplug from social media for a few hours a day, or sometimes that means you just need more sleep to refresh your body.  But sometimes that means you need to talk to someone – you don’t have to do this alone. Find someone to talk to if you are really struggling, because there is nothing wrong with that.