5 Helps to Get Rid of the Winter Blues

I don’t know about where you live but here in Michigan the winters are usually pretty grey. Really, from October through April – which is more than half the year, a sunny day is rare. when it does happen I often stick my face at the window and sit there for a while. I don’t often go outside because it’s so cold and I think I’m allergic.

Anyway, I cope pretty well until around now. Five months of cloudy gray (is it grey or gray?) sky days where it feels like the sky is very low and it can feel oppressive. So I started to do some research about how to beat the winter blues and brighten up your life and I found 5 things that I think are easy for anybody so I thought I’d share them with you.

• Paint a piece of furniture a happy color – A happy color would be good but even if you choose white or some other bright light reflecting color it will help.

• Essential oils especially citrus – You can put the oils in a diffusor to get your home smelling lovely or you can just put a dish with the oils in a few places around the rooms you spend your time in. I have also heated some water in the kitchen and added some oils because that steam helps to get the lovely uplifting smell into the air. And I found this article – 25 ways to diffuse essential oils without a diffuser!

• Mirrors are excellent at reflecting light within a room. A mirrored wall will double your room-size. Can’t afford huge mirrors? Here’s another tip: reflective ornaments such as polished crystal glass and mirrored objects placed strategically around the room will further scatter light into darker areas when your lights are on or your curtains are open. You can find a lot of things like this at local resale or second hand shops.

• Declutter – Open space can make you feel less claustrophobic and cleaning, decluttering a freshening up can give a great feeling of accomplishment. Sometimes it might feel difficult to get moving. What I’m finding is that just 15 minutes of straightening or decluttering can make a huge difference for your mindset.

• Get dressed in bright colors. – I’m not even kidding! This really is a tactic that popped up in my research and I can tell you that this really does help me. And I know you are thinking that the stores are full of winter clothes that are black and grey and neutral. Don’t worry. I have things under control. Just go check out the fabric choices in each skirt style in the shop!

I think right now, even if you live in a sunny place, many of us need some pick me ups due to the ongoing stress of the state of the world. I hope that you will try a few of these suggestions and then come back and tell me how it went. Did it help you and if you have your own ways of feeling better let me know that in the comments also so i can add those suggestions to my list! Who knows who you might help.