This time of the year can be exciting and heart warming or depressing and dull. Truly there is no in between. Either you are excited for Christmas and you are already in the holiday spirit starting November 1st or you are down in the dumps and Christmas coming around is the only thing that is keeping you going…but barely. The cold dark mornings, the handful of homework because teachers are trying to get all the work in before finals, the feeling of 2019 pre covid when life was bearable. Trust me, I know what it feels like and I have taken the time to help us both out. So here, little lads, are four tips and tricks of not  falling into what we know as winter depression. 

1.   Making a Routine  

Writing out your day could help your momentum going. Making our routine will be helpful in your times of uncertainty, unpredictability and stress. It gives you some control and helps with your organization. When events in our lives begin to go out of our control we tend to let it happen because we do not know to get them back in order. This causes a wave of sadness like we dwell on for a long time due to our unorganized lives. It is proven by health-line that if we write down our routine and make a plan of our day we are more able to do it. This is your sign to pick up a today list, pick up a routine and try your best to follow it through.

1.  Notice the good things 

When this season comes around it may be hard to look at the bright side of things. Yes, been there and cried about that. I don’t want to sit here and  tell you, “Think of all the happy things that happened for you today.” It has become a bit cliche. Instead I want to reword that for, I want you to look for the good things in your day. How is that making you feel in that moment? If it has a good effect, stay in that moment. If it has a bad effect, move to a different moment. It is really about taking your day moment by moment. Instead of thinking, “Wow that really did not make my day” think about “Hm, what really helped get me through this day.” Sometimes the good thing that happens on that day is you making it safely to the end. 

1.    Exercise

Okay I know what this sounds but hear me out. It helps. And it is proven that it benefits human health. These benefits also help with a positive impact of depression, anxiety and a lot more issues. Physical exercise helps blood flow, functional and structural connection and with new neurons being born according to The Distracted Mind, by Adam Gazzaley and Larry D. Rosen. Being physical in general gives the mind and body to loosen up making lower fit children at a lower capability than higher fit children. More aerobic exercises improve the ability to fish tasks. So in other words, not that you have to stay fit to not be depressed but stay moving to ease your depression and anxiety. Hints the title of the book, having a distracted mind is better for your mental and physical health.  

1.   Express yourself

I am not assuming but when you get sad, you cannot express yourself. That may be only for a few of you. You are trapped within your emotions and are not able to build down that wall that you are hiding behind. So I challenge you, no matter where you go or what you do or what the rules are, to in some way express your creativity. Or not expressing yourself enough could be the cause of why you feel trapped and blocked off. Don’t be afraid of being judged, because you merely cannot be judged by others and only by God. God has made you in his image in which you are to be, act and feel. 

These tips are for any season of depression, but I know it is hard when the holiday comes around. I hope you all who felt like you needed this know you are not alone and there are answers out there for you. Not only are there answers but there is comfort and others who are relating. These few tips and tricks aren’t all the answers but the ones I feel as though helped me through this season’s depression. I am always here for you.