15 Ways To Beat The Winter Blues

Apparently today is 'Blue Monday'. a day in the middle of January that is supposedly the most depressing day of the year. I don't know if there's any evidence to support that, but ever since Christmas, I haven't been able to shake those soul-crushing Winter Blues, and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

It's the middle of Winter, it's cold, dark, and dreary, Christmas is a distant memory, life has slowed down again, and it's still ages 'til payday. In short, January is the worst. After a month of festive cheer, celebrations, parties, indulging, socialising, and getting showered with presents, it's no wonder January seems so dull and boring in contrast, and so many of us feel the effects of the Winter Blues. January is brutal.

The Winter Blues hits me like clockwork as soon as Christmas is over every year, continuing for most of January and sometimes even 'til Spring. I lose my motivation to do anything, boredom crushes me, I feel suffocated by the darkness, and feel stressed and miserable because I have no money and nothing exciting to look forward to. Sound familiar? Luckily, I've got plenty of coping methods I try to employ to help me beat those pesky blues, and I thought I'd share some of them with you today in case they might be helpful to you or anyone suffering with their mental health at this time of year. Please note, these are by no means official, medically proven ways to treat the blues, SAD or depression, just methods that work for me, and if you're really struggling with your mental health, please talk to your doctor for professional advice. They should be able to help you find the right treatment for you, or refer you to someone that can. At least confide in a friend or loved one, and let them know how you're feeling. Don't suffer in silence; you have nothing to be ashamed of.

If you're interested in reading some tips and ideas from a fellow suffer, then here are my 15 ways to beat the Winter Blues...

1. Plan Something To Look Forward To

Book or plan something to look forward to- a holiday, a concert, a trip to the theatre, a night out with friends... something that will fill you with so much excitement you could burst. It helps to have something exciting to concentrate on and keep going for, especially during the really bleak days.

2. Do What Makes You Happy

Do whatever it is that makes you ridiculously happy, whether that's spending time with your favourite people, watching cat videos in your PJs, going to see your fave bands play live, exploring somewhere new, making things, or going out dancing. Whatever it is that sets your heart on fire, do it!

3. Start A New Project

Start a new project, preferably something that will take a little while to complete, so it can keep you busy and distracted for weeks or months. Crochet a blanket, upcycle a piece of furniture, learn to paint, take up gardening, learn photography, write, start a blog... the possibilities are endless. I find cross-stitching, painting, and creative writing particularly relaxing and therapeutic.

4. Colour Those Blues Away

Pick up a colouring book and colour those winter blues away. There are loads of colouring books for adults now, and trust me, colouring is so therapeutic. It's a great mood-lifter, and should help you to destress, and relax in minutes.

5. Play Some Happy Tunes

Play your favourite happy, uplifting songs up loud. Avoid listening to anything melancholy.

6. Watch Your Favourite Feel Good Movies

Watch your favourite feel good movies with a big bowl of popcorn or your favourite chocolates. It's an instant mood-lifter. Mamma Mia, Julie and Julia, Steel Magnolias and Little Women never fail to make me smile and lighten my mood.

7. Keep Yourself Busy

Try to keep yourself busy. I find boredom only aggravates my SAD, so I like to keep myself as busy as possible to distract myself. I'll usually get crafting, blogging, or writing, but getting lost in my Instagram feed, catching up on some housework, or binge-watching a new TV series works just as well.

8. Hang Out With People You Love

Spend some quality time with the people you love and enjoy being around. Avoid spending time around negative and toxic people that only bring you down. You deserve better than that.

9. Get Washed and Dressed

Get out of your PJs, get showered, put on fresh clean clothes, and spend some time doing your hair, and make up, if you wear it. I don't know about you, but I always feel so much better after a good shower when my hair's all nice and clean, I've changed in to some clean clothes, and put my face on. I feel so much better equipped to face the day.

10. Treat Yourself To A Hair Cut

Get a hair cut. Whether you go for a trim or a whole new look, a good hair cut can be a huge mood-lifter, and give your confidence a boost, too.

11. Eat Well, Drink Plenty Of Water, and Exercise

Eat well, drink plenty of water, and get some exercise to get those endorphins pumping. You don't need to spend hundreds of pounds joining a gym; exercise outside for free! Go for a walk or a run, make use of a skipping rope, dance, take the dog for a walk, or follow an exercise DVD at home.  

12. Get Enough Natural Daylight

Get as much natural day light as possible. Try to get up as close to sunrise as you can so you can get the maximum hours of light available, and make sure you get outside every day for at least 10 minutes to soak up enough Vitamin D.

13. Go For A Walk

Wrap up warm, get outside, and go for a long walk. Breathe in the fresh air, take in the sights and sounds, soak up a little day light, and clear your mind.

14. Avoid New Year Diet and Exercise Talk

Avoid reading fashion and gossip magazines which are filled with diet and exercise talk at this time of year. Reading articles that shame size zero celebrities for gaining three pounds and bombards you with diet tips will only make you feel like crap.

15. Talk To Someone

If you're struggling with your mental health, please don't suffer in silence; talk to someone. Confide in a friend or family member you can trust, and ask your doctor for help. They may be able to offer some treatment to help you or refer you to someone who can. If you can't speak to a loved one or a doctor, there are mental health helplines you can call, which you can find a list of here if you're in the UK. I know it's scary, but there's nothing to be ashamed or afraid of, and you're not alone.

How do you beat the Winter blues?

40 Ways To Beat Cabin Fever

I spend the majority of my time cooped up at home, thanks to chronic pain and a few debilitating health conditions. People often ask me how I do it; how I can spend so much time confined between the same four walls without going stir crazy. I always tell them the same thing: I do go stir crazy, just like everybody else. Some days I'm practically climbing the walls, desperate to escape back to the excitement of the big wide world where the cure for cabin fever lies. Some days I feel so trapped I can barely breathe; I hate being tethered, but I don't have much choice in the matter. The truth is, in the five years I've been house-bound, I've just learned how to keep cabin fever at bay and how to pacify it when it does strike; I've had plenty of time to iron out the kinks, after all.

Why am I telling you this? Well, I figure most of us suffer from cabin fever from time to time, whether we're stuck at home because of illness, accident, unemployment, poor weather, loneliness, family commitments, waiting on a delivery, or for one of countless other reasons, so I thought I'd share some of my tried and tested tips for beating cabin fever in the hope of making your next bout that little bit easier. I hope they help!

1. Let's start with an obvious one: get out of the house if you're able to. Go for a walk or a drive, meet up with friends or do something fun. Just go do something. Anything.

2. Get out in to the garden or on to your balcony for some fresh air and vitamin D. Perhaps do some gardening, exercise, play sports with your kids or fetch with your dog, or just sit and enjoy the sunshine.

3. Open a window or your patio doors and let the fresh air in.

4. Turn the heating off / down so the house is less stuffy.

5. Take a nap and sleep it off. Naps make everything better. Fact.

6. Take a cool refreshing shower or wash your face with cold water to perk yourself up.

7. Change your clothes daily, even if it's just putting on a fresh pair of PJs.

8. Have a tidy and declutter to make the house less claustrophobic.

9. Make your home feel so cosy and inviting that you'll never want to leave.

10. Keep fresh flowers or plants in the house to add some life. If you can't go out to buy some, perhaps cut some from the garden.

11. Avoid watching travel shows, reading travel posts, or looking at travel photos on the net- they'll probably only aggravate your cabin fever.

12. Alternatively, if you think it will help you, do watch travel shows, read travel posts, and look at travel photos on the net and live vicariously through others.

13. Plan something fun to look forward to and focus on- a holiday, a concert, a trip to the beach, even a catch up with friends over coffee or cocktails... I find it's easier to cope with captivity when I know I have a break from it on the horizon, and something exciting to keep going for.

14. Keep yourself occupied at all times, so you don't just sit around bored out of your mind dwelling on your confinement. Distraction is key.

15. Mix things up- a routine can become so boring and predictable that it can feel like you're living a Groundhog Day life, making cabin fever rage. Do different things each day you're stuck at home, or at least do them in a different order to stop the days blurring in to one.

16. Start a project that will take some time to complete- make a cross stitch picture, crochet a blanket, write a novel, blog, upcycle a piece of furniture, paint, redecorate, start a new computer game... anything that will keep you busy for a while.

17. Get lost in a good book; after a while you'll forget you're stuck indoors, as you'll be submerged in another world. It's a good opportunity to get through some of the unread books on your bookshelf.

18. If you can't leave the house, invite friends or family over for dinner or a night in- bring the fun and company to you.

19. Play some 'happy' tunes up loud.

20. Watch a feel good movie or two.

21. Phone up a friend for a catch up.

22. Write and let your feelings and frustration out on to paper or screen. You don't need to share your words with anyone, but emptying them from your mind can help to lighten the weight on your shoulders.

23. Pamper yourself. Have a bubble bath, light some candles, put on a face mask, give yourself a mani-pedi, and just let yourself unwind. Heaven!

24. Bake something so the house smells inviting. Plus you get to eat something delicious afterwards, which is always a bonus.

25. Treat yourself to a tasty meal, whether it's a home-cooked favourite, or a cheeky takeaway. You'll be so full and content that you'll not want to leave the comfort of your sofa for the rest of the night. 

26. Make a list of all the things you want to do as soon as you're able to leave the house again, and start planning one or two of them.

27. Get around to all those odd jobs you've been meaning to do but have never quite found time for.

28. Hang out with your pets. Just spending time with them can make a huge difference to our moods, and stoking their coats can help to calm and relax us. Spending time at home isn't so bad when you've got an awesome buddy to hang out with.

29. Talk to a friend or a family member about how you're feeling. Venting your feelings can really help to pacify them.

30. Sit by a window and watch the world go by. Watch people going about their various concerns, rain falling from the sky, animals scurrying around, the wind moving through the trees... whatever you can see.

31. Stretch your legs around the house every now and then.

32. Spend time in different rooms, where possible, to change up your day a little. A change of scenery can do us some good.

32. Eat well and drink plenty of water so that you don't feel sluggish.

33. If you're at home for some time due to an illness, injury, or disability and are fortunate to have a great support system around you, don't shut yourself off from the people in your life. Let them be there for you. Believe me, feeling like you're alone in the world will only make cabin fever feel so much worse.

34. If you are alone and lonely, and don't feel like anybody can relate to the reason you're cooped up at home,  connect with like-minded people online. Talk to people going through the same situation or who share the same interests as you. Forge friendships. Build an online support network. It might just help you deal with what you're going through, and help to ease the symptoms of cabin fever.

35. Do whatever it is you enjoy most that can be done from home.

36. If you get claustrophobic and the walls start closing in, remember to breathe. Take lots of deep breaths, and concentrate on breathing in and out until it passes.

37. Make yourself as comfortable as possible while you're at home. Wear comfy clothes, go bra-less, if applicable (ladies you know what I'm talking about!), bring your duvet on to the sofa, spend a day in bed... do whatever you need to do to make yourself comfortable and relaxed. Make your confinement as pleasant as you can.

38. Open your curtains / blinds every day to let the light in. Hiding yourself away in the darkness like the Phantom of the Opera won't do your mental health any favours.

39. Use this time to learn something new. Perhaps you've always wanted to learn how to paint using watercolours, maybe you've always dreamed of learning how to play the guitar, decorate cakes, knit, start a blog, master creative writing, or learn a language. Being stuck indoors doesn't have to eat away at your life; it can add life to it!

40. If you're cooped up for a prolonged period because of your health and feel like you're not coping well mentally, speak to your doctor. He or she might be able to help you, or at least refer you to someone who can. Don't suffer in silence. Ask for help.

If you're looking for more ways to occupy yourself while house-bound, check out my 50 Ways To Beat Boredom At Home.

How do you fight cabin fever?

Day 30: Letting Go

Day 30: React to this term: 'Letting go.' 

Sitting here in my sister's spare bedroom, burrowing my feet in to the crisp white duvet cover, and hearing nothing but the sound of the whirring of my laptop, I've got to thinking about what the term 'letting go' means to me. At first, I wasn't quite sure if I could answer this prompt, but after some time had passed, I realised I actually have a lot to say.

Over the last twenty months or so since I injured my back, my life has changed dramatically, and so have I. While many would struggle mentally when faced with a life changing injury (whether this be permanent or for the foreseeable future), I have reacted the polar opposite, and found my depression has lifted enormously. I've battled with depression since my teens, and although I can't justify the reason why my current circumstances seems to have pulled me out of the dark abyss which I lived in for over a decade, I have to say it's wonderful to have let go of so much darkness, and the negative weight on my shoulders. I still live with depression, but at the moment it's almost lying dormant, and that's how I hope it will stay.

I guess I've realised how unimportant so many things that plagued me are compared to health, and mobility, freedom, and independence. Without those things, life is so much more challenging. My eyes have opened up to what's really important in life (for me) and what's not worth worrying about. My attitude and opinions towards various things have changed, as has my perspective on myself. My confidence and body-confidence have increased; I'm happier; I'm not exhausted from working so hard... This has all enabled me to let go of the darkness, and negative person I once was, and I'm happy to let go of that.

Of course, there are many things in life I've had to let go of, for now, that I truly miss. With my pain levels unmanaged, and my mobility limited because of this, I can't cope out of bed for more than an hour or two at most- and that's on a good day, so many of my hobbies and interests are on hiatus. I miss going to concerts, travelling, visiting friends, and shopping days, to name a few. I miss being able to do normal tasks for myself without putting myself in more pain, like washing my hair, baking, giving myself a pedicure... but I've learnt to let those restrictions and hurdles go, and have accepted my current situation, and learnt to adapt.

I would almost say I've found a sense of peace over my current situation. I'm at peace with what has happened, and I've been able to let my old life go without much frustration. There's no anger, no blame, no regret, or longing for my old life. Nor am I pining to reach recovery. I've let it go, and I'm concentrating on living each day as it comes and hoping for the day I'm back on my feet again living a more normal, pain free life. I have to let go of the past to be able to welcome the future. Who knows when it may arrive.

Day Seventeen: A Favourite Photo of Myself

I've made it past the halfway mark of the blog challenge, and today's theme is 'a favourite photo of yourself and why.'

I was hoping to show you a particular photo of myself taken in 2007, when my hair was still really long, and the sun had brought all the freckles on my face out during a holiday in Cornwall, but I can't locate it anywhere. I was sure I had it saved on my hard drive and backed up on a CD, but apparently not, so I've gone with this one instead...

This photo was taken in New York in August 2011.

It was the most beautiful, hot sunny day, the second day of our holiday, and we were on our way to visit the Statue of Liberty. I had never been out of Europe prior to this holiday, so I was exceptionally excited, and tremendously elated to be in Manhattan, a place I'd dreamt of visiting my entire life. Behind me was the Manhattan metropolis, and in front of me Lady Liberty herself. The iconic views were breath taking, and I was happy to be out on the water with a breeze to take the edge off the heat.

I was full of cold by this point, and my hair was a mess because we were forced to go without hair straighteners all week (hell, I tell you!), but I like this photo of myself. I was wearing an outfit which made me feel good; a dress which is still my favourite today, and I look happy. And that's because I genuinely was!

It was the year I was finally having more good days than bad with the depression I'd been plagued with since my teens. I was coming out of the darkness, and beginning to enjoy life again. I had no worries during this holiday; just fun, excitement, and happiness. I was feeling good about my body, and how I looked. I wasn't hiding from cameras like I'd done for years; I'd finally started accepting myself And I was enjoying being in New York; exploring and sight-seeing, and making great memories. Life. Was. Good.

Blog Every Day in May Challenge Day Eight: A Piece of Advice

I'm a couple of hours late in posting this, but day eight of the challenge is "A piece of advice you have for others. Anything at all." 

I really had to think long and hard about what I could write for today's post. I'm not sure I'm the best person to offer advice to anybody. Just like Alice, I give myself very good advice, but I very seldom follow it. After much deliberating, and a half-written draft about a couple of things I could quite find the words to express, I've decided just to share lots of little bits of advice with you. 

[Source]

-Always try clothing on before buying them in store.

-If you change your mind about a piece of clothing after you've bought it, return it and get a refund. Don't leave it in the back of the wardrobe where you'll forget all about it, and eventually sell it on ebay for pennies.

-Don't pay any attention to the size stitched in to clothes; look at how they fit you instead. Garment sizes vary from brand to brand, and style to style. If your usual size is a little tight, go up a size. Nobody else has to know, and properly fitting clothes will always make you look and feel better than clothes that are too small or too big.

-Look for discount codes before buying anything online.

-Use Fragrance Direct to buy make up (including nail polishes) at a fraction of the RRP online. They carry a lot of big name brands from Maybelline to OPI.

-Don't save your best clothes for special occasions; wear them every day!

-Always remember that you are beautiful just as you are. Never let anyone tell you otherwise.

-Embrace who you are on the inside and on the outside.

-Don't feel forced to follow the crowd or hide who you are. People are going to judge you anyway, so just be yourself.

-Manners go a long way and don't cost a thing. 

-Never judge a book by it's cover.

-Live each day to the fullest. Live, laugh, love, have fun, and travel! You never know when your time may be up, so live life well! Make each day count.

-Enjoy life!

-Do what you can with what you have where you are.

-Never give up on your dreams.

-Learn how to be comfortable with your own company.

-Don't be afraid to ask for help.

And something from the heart...

Don't waste your life living in that rut that makes you so unhappy because you don't know how to get out of it. Trust me, you will look back on those years with so much regret. I wasted nine years of my life living in a rut which made me unhappy and brought me many dark years of depression because I didn't know how to make life better again. I didn't have the confidence to start life afresh. I didn't seek help for depression. This rut eventually resulted in spinal injuries, which I'm thankful snapped me out of that darkness, but they have wasted another (almost) two years of my life, and who knows how many more to come.

 So, please don't make the same mistakes I did. If you're suffering with depression, please talk to somebody. Confide in a loved one or somebody you trust, and talk to your Doctor who will be able to help you through support, counselling, and/or medication, or at least refer you to somebody who can. Don't be afraid to ask for help, or of telling the people close to you what you're going through. You're not alone! 

If you're unhappy, review what parts of your life are making you unhappy, and have the confidence to make those changes you need to. Trust me, it might just be the best thing you've ever done. If you stay living in that rut, you may just find yourself looking back on those lost years with regret. 

Blog Every Day In May Day One: The Story of My Life in 250 Words

Yesterday when I was catching up on blog posts in my reading list, I heard about Story of My Life's blogging challenge for May; 'Blog Every Day in May'. This is a challenge to motivate us to do just that; blog every day in May, and I've decided to rise to the challenge. 

Every day has a set prompt, and the topics should hopefully enable me to share a little bit more about myself with you, as they're all quite personal subjects. I'll still be blogging my usual OOTDs, nail art, wish lists, inspiration posts etc; I'll just be supplementing my usual content with challenge posts. Anybody can take part in the challenge, and you can find out more about it here.

So, today is day one and today's topic is 'The story of my life in 250 words or less'. It'll probably be more than 250 words, but here goes...

Outside the house from I Am Legend in New York in August 2011; a month before I injured myself.

I was born in Oxford in July 1985, and grew up in a small town in Oxfordshire on the edge of the countryside with my parents, and two sisters- one older, one younger. We spent our childhoods mostly playing and exploring outdoors, with annual holidays to Cornwall, and regular trips to the beach each Summer. I was bought up Catholic and attended a Catholic primary school, but it was a faith I never adopted and showed little interest in. Sorry, Dad. It just wasn't for me.

I was a painfully shy kid/teen, and terribly self-conscious of my body since I was tall, and developed early... which I translated as fat. I always felt like the fat girl. And I wasn't back then. I was embarrassed and ashamed of my body, and had zero confidence in myself. Qualities which shaped and affected my entire life up to this point.

I met my best friend at school aged eleven, and we bonded over a shared infatuation with Irish pop band Boyzone. We'd spend most of our spare time listening to their music, going to a couple of concerts, and all the things fan girls do. Even though our musical tastes have evolved hugely since then, we're still best friends, and we still go to their concerts together today.

I left school with ten GCSEs, and spent two years studying for a National Diploma in Animal Care at college. I got my first job working in a pet shop, and when I finished college, I chose not to go to Uni at the last minute. I've regretted it ever since. The next eight years or so are mostly a blur. I suffered badly with depression from age eighteen, and there were a lot of dark years which I wasted hating myself, and not living life to the full. I worked full time with pets, and then, for the same employer, visual merchandising Children's toys and clothes. I was working myself down in to the ground, and eventually injured my spine somewhere along the way in September 2011... which put my entire life in to perspective, and seemed to snap me out of the darkness. I wasted so many years of my life which I can never get back and regret so much, but I'm thankful I injured my back, even though I'm living a life on hiatus in constant pain, because it's made me determined never to waste my life again. I'm not going to let my story end here.