Winter is not my thing.
I feel like I'm the only person nowadays who isn't into the autumn/winter months. Everywhere you go you're blinded with autumnal colours, pumpkin spice everything, and - dare I say it - Christmas paraphernalia. Don't get me wrong, I do love Christmas, but not the cold, dark nights it brings, and how they make me feel.
Until recently I suffered from SAD - Seasonal Affectiveness Disorder - so bad I'd dread winter. As soon as the clocks went back, and even before then, hibernating and curling up in a ball under my duvet seemed so tempting. Thankfully this isn't the case as much any more - probably because of the fact I now have a wonderful boyfriend to keep me warm in these cold winter months.
With that being said, winter still does affect me, and I'm noticing it in dribs and drabs lately. Like the fact it starts getting dark at around 4 p.m. now. Or the walk to college in the morning when all I think about is whether or not it's acceptable to wear a dressing gown outside. And when I open my wardrobe to see all my lovely but totally not winter-appropriate clothes, but not really having the budget to revamp my wardrobe to be a bit more cold weather friendly.
I think what set this blog post into motion was the fact Laurence and I came back up to Athlone last night after spending the week with our families, and the contrast in temperature of our houses was phenomenal. Our student accommodation has never been cold by any means, but last night I couldn't feel my nose in the bedroom, and we had to succumb to the wall heaters for the first time since moving in. Our electricity meter was practically screaming this morning!
This year, instead of letting SAD affect me, I've decided I'm going to tackle it head on. I won't let winter beat me this year, I'm going full on Gloria Gaynor - I will survive, dammit. So I've compiled a list of a few steps I - and anyone else who reads this blog and feels like it may help them - can take to make these next few months a little bit easier.
1. Get out there. Please don't click out of this blog just yet!
I know myself that exercising when it's cold outside is the last thing anyone wants to do, unless you're one of the Happy Pear guys (respect to them). I have the option of watching Netflix in my Bambi dressing gown whilst eating pizza, why wouldn't I just do that?!
Recently my body has been crying out for exercise, and begrudgingly I can say a brisk walk outside does wonders. It doesn't have to be far - it can be as simple as walking down to the shop, or around your estate, or walking your dog - but it does help to clear your mind and appreciate the beauty of winter: crisp, brightly coloured leaves, festive cups in Costa, winter fashion, dogs wearing little padded jackets to keep them warm... it's not all bad.
If you can't get outside, why not try a home workout? You don't have to go full on Dwayne Johnson but even just by doing some sit-ups it can help clear the cobwebs, and as a bonus you might burn off some of the calories from all those pre-Christmas chocolates. Sure, someone has to taste test them before distributing them as gifts. *cough*
2. Treat yo'self.
Even if it's something small. Yesterday my mum and I stopped off in Lena's Tea Room in Carrick-On-Shannon for a bit of cake and a warming drink. It's absolutely gorgeous there, so cosy and pretty, and the coffee and cake is just delicious. Now that I've found I can eat dairy again I chose a brownie and a mocha, while mum went for tea and seasonal fruit cake. It was such a lovely treat and really broke the day up. If you ever find yourself passing by Carrick-On-Shannon, do stop off in Lena's.
If you have the funds to have a full on blow-out and do a spa day, dinner, wine and a shopping spree, go ahead. If, like me, you're feeling the pinch in the run up to Christmas, why not save up for something nice? Laurence and I found a lovely jar my mum got me and decided every week we'd each put a bit of money into it. The jar sits on our coffee table so that we can't pretend it's not there, and whenever one of us has some loose change - it doesn't have to be much, we just put coins in - it goes into the jar. Over time it builds and builds and eventually you'll have enough to buy yourself a little treat. We've decided to use the money for our Christmas shop, and any left over we'll use to get ourselves something small. You deserve it.
3. Get creative.
Now that I have my own living space I've found myself very excited for seasonal holidays, partly because it's nice to make the place look pretty, and also because I kind of want to put up the Christmas decorations in mid-November. Oops.
You can get creative in any way that inspires you and lifts your spirits. It doesn't have to be putting up tinsel and plastic Santas nearly 2 months too early; you could make your own winter-y decorations, put some fairy lights in your room, or even get a nice throw to put on the sofa. Penneys have some lovely soft throws and some are as cheap as €5 - that's a lot cheaper than putting the heaters on all day!
If you're more into kitchen creativity like I am, make the most of some of the gorgeous food that's perfect for this time of year. Now that Halloween is over many places have pumpkins for very cheap, so I've been enjoying making pumpkin pie, soup and even pumpkin curry. Hearty, warming comfort food such as stews, curries and roasts are also great options, not to mention the drinks - mulled wine, hot chocolate and seasonal coffee drinks. Mmm.
4. Talk.
If you do feel like you might have SAD, or are feeling a bit down in general, talk to someone. Your doctor might be able to help. Alternatively, talking to a friend or family member can really lift your spirits, and you never know who might also be suffering in silence! There's a massive stigma in this country around mental health, but that's changing. It's ok to have a bad day, or week, or even month. I'm going to end this blog post now, because I'm starting to sound like the Friends theme tune.
Hope you enjoyed this post and it was helpful in some way - and remember, to quote Albus Dumbledore: "Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light."
