Why are January and February always my worst months? It's been a s t r u g g l e these last few weeks, a struggle I tell you. I'm so thankful for everything I have in my life. I'm thankful for being back in school, for training to be a CASA, for my husband, for my job, for my home, my family, everything. And yet, I struggle.
Every year this happens.
It's like I can logically know the healthy ways to manage stress but still choose the unhealthy coping mechanisms that my body is familiar with. It's hard to want to manage stress in the best way when I have the bare minimum amount of energy to expend each day. But I know this time of year is always hard, so I know it won't last forever.
Who else struggles in the winter months, and what helps you maintain your mental health during this time of year?
Here are some things that help me, even if it's just in small ways:
-Pausing to take slow, deep breaths multiple times throughout the day. Breathing deeply EVERY time I am prompted to, and also when I hear someone else being prompted to breath (like in a TV show or something).
-Breaking up large tasks into small pieces. Telling myself I don't have to complete a whole project today, I just need to spend 30 minutes to an hour on it. This helps me so much when I feel overwhelmed with work and school. And when I do this I usually end up going longer than just one hour and getting more done.
-Having a wind down ritual at night. No matter how stressed or busy I feel, I am happier when I intentionally wind down at night and do certain things. For me this includes changing into sleep clothes, taking off my makeup and washing my face, and hanging out with Ryan before bed.
-Prayer. This is a big one for me. Praying before bed and right when I wake up creates a shift within myself. It makes me feel like I am setting an intention and making time for God, even if all I can muster is the tiniest prayer.
-Remembering that the way I feel now won't be forever. This helps me love myself even though I'm not at "my best", physically or mentally. I can feel sad and not add to the pain by being mad at myself about having negative emotion. Makes sense, right?
