Fighting Seasonal Depression

I have to tell you Loves, every year around this time I experience seasonal gloomies (meaning my depression/seasonal affective disorder rears its ugly head with the oncoming change of winter season). My drive and motivation go out the door, I have no will to socialize or post on my media because it just feels too forced, my patience and tolerance reach an all time low, and I tend to hermit myself inside and cut out the outside world. And honestly, I’m ready to pull myself out of it and rejoin the land of the living by deciding to write about it! So I thought I’d share a few tips and tricks of mine to that have helped me deal with this gloomy time of year for anybody else who may be experiencing this as well.

Revamp Wardrobe: First clear out and donate anything in your closet that doesn’t fit! Trying on clothes that don’t fit have negative side effects to your mental health so get rid of those “just need to loose 10 more lbs” outfits. Now, as a small family with only a single income our budget can get pretty tight so I’ve found two easy ways to reinvest in my wardrobe; first up is fabric dye – an easy and wonderful tool to change those warn garments from old to like new! I tend to use R.I.T. fabric dye, you can find in most grocery stores or here: Fabric Dye

I’ve also found that changing the length of a garment can also dramatically change the appearance so by using a little double-sided fabric tape you can easily change up a garment any time you choose! My favorite product to use is Sticth Witchery for this particular wardrobe revamp! You can usually find this in craft stores or this link here: Fabric Tape
Reach Out To Friends and Leave The House: This one can definitely be difficult, it’s one of the harder steps for me to take when I’m stuck in the blues, so this is why I think it’s so important to include. It’s easy to seclude yourself but the truth is when you’re feeling down like this the comfort and company a friend or family member can provide can only help your frame of mind. Go out for coffee, meet up at a park for a walk, or stop at your favorite restaurant for dinner! Now notice I mentioned activities that involve leaving the house? Why might you ask? Because you need fresh air and warm sunshine, it’s been proven that these two elements can help influence you in the right direction towards a positive frame of mind.  Not quite ready to venture out? That’s ok too. Try bringing the inside to you, like maybe purchasing a plant or if you have no green thumb like me lol succulents? Having a little green inside will definitely help your mood by brightening up those surroundings!
Treat Yourself: Now before you go buying a whole new wardrobe I need you to know I’m not just speaking about monetary items to splurge on for yourself, don’t get me wrong if you’ve got it splurge away Honey! BUT I’m talking about carving out an hour a day to take a little YOU time. This can mean reading a book, face mask session while soaking in the tub, a visit with your therapist, meditating, walking your dog at the park, even just a nap from your chaotic life can do wonders when you’re feeling stressed and over worked. This step has become vital for me, as a new mom I began to feel like my identity was being overrun and there was only a mom there. This kind of negative thinking didn’t help me or my family, so with a little help from my wonderful husband I carved out a little time for myself every day and I’ve spent that time reconnecting with hobbies, friends, and rediscovering my passion – one hour at a time 😉 One way I like to pamper myself? I give myself a little manicure and will paint my nails in a fun shade that makes me happy, one of my favorite polish brands to use would be EMMA V.S.N.P.
As you can see I love the colors lol which is why I’m wearing two!
You can shop the link here: Nail Polish

Tidy Up: I tend to be horrible with this one, when I’m down and just feeling blue I have no desire to clean so the chores tend to build up and then who doesn’t get even more depressed surrounded by messes? So cleaning up your living space is essential. I tend to go nuts with organizers, so I’ve included the link for my favorite bathroom organizer for you Loves. Clean out the clutter and junk, dust those shelves, do those dishes and laundry, and don’t forget to open up a window or two to let in that fresh sunlight.
A little something to help the de-clutter process: Rolling Storage Cart
Make The Conscious Decision To Work For Happiness: It’s never easy to just “buck up” when you are dealing with issues like being stuck in a funk, and honestly when people tell me to do this and I’m experiencing this issue I feel it’s downright insensitive. What you can do is make the honest effort to pull yourself from that funk. It’s downright easy to wallow in misery, don’t put yourself through that, feel your pain and acknowledge it. Then make the decision that today will be better than yesterday and put your all in to making that statement a reality! It won’t always be easy but know you are worth every effort.
Those of you who may also be suffering from SAD, what has helped you?
Kat XO
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