Connect with us

Articles

7 Ways to Beat the Winter Blues

Here are 7 ways to help you beat the winter blues.

Spread the love

Published

on

One look at my neighborhood, and I know that the Christmas season has come to an end. The lights are put away, the big blow-up Santa a couple doors down is deflated and sitting in its box until next year. The Christmas music on the local radio station has been replaced with today’s hits.

Yes, it is that time of year where we cozy into our homes and ride out the rest of the long, cold winter, hoping to survive with a bit of sanity.

Unfortunately, with the absence of the ambiance of Christmas, we often lose the attitude of Christmas. With the arrival of bills, our smiles turn to frowns. Our serving hearts turn to survival hearts as we hear our kids complain that they have nothing to do. (Oh, really? I could think of a few things like picking up the cereal you spilled all over the floor I just cleaned this morning). We begin to sink into depressive feelings as we look at the bare trees and the grey skies, wondering if winter will ever end.

Yet we don’t need to let the winter blues consume us. We can still recapture the holiday spirit and beat the winter blues. In my efforts to turn winter into something I look forward to each year, I have chosen to incorporate a few things into my life that I know will bring light to my days as well as others. I encourage you to try these as well.

1. Donate Items to a Local Charity

As we welcome new toys, clothes, and electronics in our homes, it is easier to let go of the some of the items we held onto before Christmas. Consider encouraging each family member to find a few items to donate. Not only will help you declutter your home, it will brighten someone else’s day when they receive it.

2. Give a Gift of Time to Service

Food kitchens, animal shelters, and other charities have a dramatic increase in volunteers around the holidays, but these year round providers need volunteers every day. What are you passionate about? If you love helping animals, think about walking dogs at the local shelter. If you are passionate about helping the needy, hand out winter coats and blankets on the coldest of days. The elderly would love to have your family join them for a game night at an assisted living facilities.

3. Invite Others into Your Home

We love to get together with friends and family over the Christmas season, but after that, we tend to huddle in our homes staring miserably out the window, praying for a warm day. Host a monthly dessert social, get your girlfriends together for a book club, or invite international students from a local university for dinner nights. Having people in your home keeps you from the loneliness of isolation.

7 Ways to Beat the Winter Blues

4. Write Cards to Friends and Family

I love the Christmas season because my mailbox is full of cards from those I love. I cherish each card, and they warm my heart. Christmas isn’t the only season to send cards though. Think about sending notes in the mail to friends to let them know you are thinking about them. Include a favorite verse that makes you think of them.

5. Light a Candle and Decorate Your Home

I always feel a lump in my throat when we take down all of the Christmas decorations and put away the Christmas scents. It is still okay to light that peppermint candle and fill your home with the scents you love. We decorate our homes for fall and for Christmas, but we often don’t think to decorate them for winter. What can you put around your home to think more positively about the season of winter?

6. Fill Your Home with Music

Pandora is a favorite of mine. I enjoy setting it to a station that brings peace to my home. Play worship songs to start your day. How can you not smile when you hear Mandisa’s “Good Morning” song? For me, Celtic music is incredibly calming. When I need a moment to reset after breaking up the 100th fight between my kids or am doing a task I dislike, I put it on and suddenly that moment seems just a bit more bearable.

7. Spend Daily Time with the Lord

One of my favorite things about the Christmas season is that it is nearly impossible to feel far away from the Lord. With Advent season, we have daily reminders of God’s love and what He did for us through His Son. However, once Christmas is over and the effects of consumerism and exhaustion take their toll, we feel anything but close to Him. This year, make an effort to spend daily time with the Lord. The other items in the list can bring experiences of joy, but pure joy can only come from a true relationship with the Lord. Start your day with Him and bask in His glory, even if it is only for a few minutes before the kids run in with their demands.

Christmas isn’t the only time that we should have the opportunity to experience the incredible love and warmth of Christ. Despite the chilly temperatures and shortened days, we can still make our home and lives ones that reflect the brightness of the love of Jesus Christ.

Spread the love

After two years of in and out depression following the adoption of her two little girls, Ginny discovered the true joy of motherhood. Her mission is to help others find this same joy in their lives through an intimate relationship with Christ. When she isn't having dance parties with her kids, going on foodie dates with her husband, or singing at the top of her lungs to Disney soundtracks, she enjoys a good chai from Starbucks, watches Downton Abbey, and gets giddy over finding a thrilling new book series. You will also find her sharing her joy moments and faith at Joy from Grace and Deliberate Women.

Welcome to Ungrind!

Do you want to be inspired, motivated, and equipped to live the everyday story of your life well?

If so, you’re in the right place. Whether you need encouragement in your relationships or in your faith, I hope you’ll find the transparent voices of mentors and friends here at Ungrind.

So, grab a cup of coffee and keep reading. We're so glad you're here!

Ashleigh Slater, Founder & Managing Editor

Get Our Free Ebook!

Sign up to receive weekly emails from Ungrind and you’ll get the free ebook, Better Together. Be encouraged by stories of hope from women just like you!

Latest Articles

What Women Are Saying

"I am all about sites who encourage women. There's too much going on in the daily grind that it's nice when someone recognizes. No matter if you're a single or married woman, in your 20's or 40's, Ungrind will encourage you where you're at. "

-- Renee Fisher, author of Forgiving Others, Forgiving Me

Featured Resource

"Real life is not always pleasant. Every marriage experiences disappointments, misunderstandings, sickness and financial crisis. Ashleigh doesn’t camouflage the pain in her own marriage, and offers practical ideas on how to walk through the difficulties and find intimacy on the journey. If you are anything like me, I predict that as you read, you too will find yourself laughing, wiping tears, and saying 'Oh, yes.'"

-- Gary Chapman, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The 5 Love Languages

Disclosure

We are a member of the Amazon affiliate program and regularly use affiliate links. If you purchase an item from an Amazon link we provide, we will receive a small referral commission. This doesn’t cost you anything additional. We only share books, music, and products that our writers personally have used and highly recommend.

Trending

Ungrind

7 Ways to Beat the Winter Blues

by Ginny Hannan time to read: 4 min