Our view from the sixth floor of The Blake Hotel in Printers Row.
Almost exactly two years ago, I wrote what became my most popular blog post: Why I'm Choosing to Go With the Slow and My Winter Blues Toolkit. Many of these ideas are covered in greater detail in my book, 50 Ways to More Calm, Less Stress: Scientifically Proven Ways to Relieve Your Anxiety and Boost Your Mental Health Using Your Five Senses.
One of the reasons, I later learned, is that people found it helpful to see what worked for me and might work for them. For example, something I use religiously starting right about now is a light therapy lamp. As soon as I wake up, I turn it on because it’s usually dark in the morning and that light helps me wake up.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) affects millions every winter, including me and about 5% of adults in the United States. I feel like that figure is low but maybe because I feel it so acutely when the season changes.
I revisited the post and am delighted to say many of the things I still apply every winter. Since working on my book, I’ve been able to incorporate a few more ideas that might be worth visiting (or re-visiting) this season or in general as a way to welcome more calm into your life:
Floatation therapy. This was a surprise for me because a) I don’t know how to swim (spoiler: you don’t need to know how to swim) and b) it was very calming to be in a sensory deprivation state.
Paint by numbers. I’m also not a painter but I can follow directions so this was sheer joy to do. I’m still working on that one painting but since I’m not in any hurry to finish it, I’m enjoying the process. Even more fun, I’ve hung my unfinished piece on the wall so I can be reminded to return to it whenever I need a break and it serves as wall art. Bonus!
Set aside a big chunk of time to try something new. One of the things I talk about in my book is to give yourself the gift of time to explore cultural institutions like art museums or take in a live performance. Those things take time and I was so touched that my husband booked us a weekend staycation where we had a chance to try new restaurants, visit an art exhibit at The Driehaus Museum, attend a panel discussion hosted by the Chicago Humanities Fest and finally see Hamilton! The Blake Hotel in Printers Row was delightful and so close to all the train lines so getting around without needing a car was especially fun. I know this is hard for many people but I cannot tell you how much I was looking forward to the weekend and our activities and we vowed to do it at least once a quarter.
What are some things you look forward to during the winter that you don’t get to do during other seasons of the year? I’d love to hear your ideas!