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The following podcast is a Dear Media.
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Production welcome to Balance Black Girl. My name is Les. I'm your host and I appreciate you tapping in. So at the time of this episode recording. At the time of me releasing this episode, we're really winding down from 2024, which I can hardly believe. Winter is upon us. The end of the year is upon us, and this can be a really, really tricky time for a lot of reasons. One, naturally with the seasons, our energy tends to be pretty low. With the holidays. There can be a lot of stress. There can be a lot of pressure. The holidays can also just be a really triggering time. They can be really busy. You can experience a lot of fomo. We can naturally experience some of the winter blues. There's also a lot of pressure at work to finish the year strong and to wrap up a lot of projects, and it can just be a lot. And so I want to talk about finishing the year strong and avoiding the winter blues. Now, I've seen a lot of talk on social media about this idea of a winter arc, which people have been talking about since October. If that resonates with you, if that is something that you've been doing over the past couple of months, that is great. I will say for me, I don't know if that has been particularly up my alley where I feel like I need to push harder at the end of the year. I actually feel like the end of the year is usually a time where I want to start checking in with myself. And instead of pushing myself harder, I want to make sure that my needs are really met and that I'm tending to myself. And so I actually tend to slow down a little bit. I push a little in, you know, October, early November. So that's. Once we get to mid November and December, I can pump the brakes a little bit and just start reflecting on the year and making sure that I'm really pouring into myself as the really hectic time of year continues. And so for me, I didn't participate in any sort of winter arc. I didn't set any super lofty Q4 goals. I more so wanted to finish the year strong by finishing the year in one piece and by being able to take an adequate amount of time off at the end of the year to recharge, spend time with my family, and pour into myself. So when I say finish the year strong, that is what I mean. When I say finish the year strong, I mean I still want to be moving my body, I still want to be treating myself well, and I want to try to avoid the winter blues as much as possible. But if you are in a season where you are like, hey, I'm ready to hit it, I'm feeling motivated, I'm ready to get it. I want to finish the year strong. I want to push, I want to go. And that feels good to you? By all means, do it. I just want to make sure that we're holding space for all of the different ways that we may feel. Some people may feel motivated to push a little harder, Some people may want to pump the brakes a little bit. And it's also normal to feel anything in between. But what is also normal is that this time of year, Our bodies just tend to need a little bit more from us. And what can be really tricky is that the way a lot of our days look in terms of how we work, how we interact with one another, and what is expected of us is not always in tune with nature. So as we go into winter, this is really a time for rejuvenation. It is a time for rest. It is time for hibernation. Although we don't hibernate all winter like a bear would, naturally, when the days are a little bit shorter, when it's darker, when it's colder, Our bodies tend to crave more rest and a little bit more stillness. Not in a sedentary way, but just in a slowing down way. Per nature. We're not meant to have as high of energy this time of year as we would during the middle of the summer when the days are long and when our energy is high and we feel a little bit more equipped to do a lot of things. Yet we still have just as many expectations of us to perform at that same level. Even though it's a different time of year and our bodies and our minds feel really, really different. So this conversation today is more so just about showing some kindness and grace to yourself and letting things feel different and being okay with things feeling different about how to tend to your needs this time of year and to meet yourself where you are now. I'm no stranger to the winter blues, Particularly coming from the pacific northwest, where it gets really gloomy. The days there are super short during the winter. There's not a lot of sun. It can be really, really hard on you. And probably one of the hardest times of my life from a mental health standpoint Was shortly after I graduated college. I was in my first job. It was not a great job that I enjoyed by any means, But I worked in an office that had no windows and my first job out of College was this rotational program. I worked at a big corporate company and I rotated to different parts of the company every four months for this leadership development program. And during my winter rotation from November to March, which is like the toughest stretch of the year, I worked in an office building that had no windows. And my usual working hours were from like 7 to 3:30 or 4:00. And the way the Pacific Northwest is lined up, if you're going into the office at 7am it is dark. And if you're leaving at 4pm it is dark. And there was no sunlight during the workday whatsoever. It was also like a very industrial area, so it's not like I could go outside for a walk. So I was just stuck in this windowless building and did not see the sun for about four months. And man, when I tell you, my mental health plummeted. And that was when I learned the importance of having something to look forward to in the winter. So when people take that January, February trip, now I understand and I understand per that experience now, the following year I learned my lesson and so I ended up taking that November to March rotation in California. I said, bye, bye, bitches. I'm not doing none of this. Keep your gloom, keep cleap your windowless buildings. I'm going to go get some sun. So the following year I had really learned my lesson and I that was a little cheat code going to California for four months that year. But man, that first year it was really tough. And that was probably the worst winter blues that I ever had. Because I had lived in California for a number of years, I did not experience the winter blues for a little while because even though the days are shorter and it does get cool cooler there than it does during the summer, you still get pretty good sun. But since moving to New York, I'm back in my winter blues era and have had to pay special attention to making sure that I'm getting what I need. And for a lot of people, you probably feel the same way where, you know, the darkness really gets to you, the cold really gets to you. Being stuck inside can really get to you. So now that we were at the very start of winter, if you're listening to this episode when it drops, we're going to talk about some strategies for how to navigate that. How to be in tune with the season, but how to also just add a little pep to your step so that this season doesn't wear you down like it can.
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All right, let's be real. How often are we out here choosing style over comfort and regretting it later. Especially for those of us who are over 30. With Vionic, we are done with that nonsense because they're giving us shoes that look good and feel good, which is exactly what we need, especially in the chaos of winter when we're juggling work, holidays and everything in between. Right now I'm obsessed with the 23 walk 2.0. So picture like a dad sneaker, but it's cooler. Grownup sibling. I wore mine for a full on city day where I was going for long walks. I went to brunch and had a farmers market stop. And let me tell you, my feet were comfortable the entire time, which is a feat for me because I have just a lot of like foot issues from old injuries and I get uncomfortable in my feet really easily. So their secret is their Viom motion technology. It's like having a personal foot masseuse, but make it fashion. These sneakers are giving support, style and that all day comfort that I have been chasing. And here's the cherry on top. Vionic backs their shoes with a 30 day wear test. So that means you can run them through your busiest days. And if you're not totally obsessed, send them back for full refund, no questions asked. So as you're pulling your winter wardrobe together, head to vionicshoes.com log in and use the code BBG for 15% off your order. Quick note, the code is a one time deal, so go big on that first haul, your feet and your fashion game will thank you. Have you ever had a thought pop into your head that's unsettling or even embarrassing? It happens to everyone. But for people living with obsessive compulsive disorder or ocd, those thoughts can feel like they're on repeat and imposs to ignore. They can be aggressive, violent, or go completely against someone's core values, leaving them feeling isolated like no one could ever get what they're going through. That's why NOCD exists to provide specialized care for people living with ocd. Their therapists are true experts trained in exposure and response prevention, the gold standard in OCD treatment. These pros understand what it's like to grapple with intrusive thoughts, and they help you work through them in a safe, supportive way via live one on one video sessions. What makes no CD stand out is their focus on cultural awareness. OCD doesn't look the same for everyone. For example, black people might experience symptoms tied to specific experiences, like hair care or religious beliefs. NOCD therapists are trained to recognize these nuances and they even receive cultural competency training to make sure every treatment plan is tailored to each individual's background and needs. On top of that, NOCD works with many major insurance plans and offers 24. 7 support in between sessions so you don't have to go through what you're experiencing alone. If you're ready to take that first step, head to nocd.com and book a free 15 minute call with their team. That's nocd.com.
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So the first thing I want to talk about is adjusting your routine for wellness during the winter. A few months ago I had talked about adjusting your wellness routine for fall, and a lot of that really applies also as we go into winter. But now that we are on the cusp of winter, this is when we really want to refine things to make sure that we're getting the most out of our routines. So this is really a time of year where we're going to focus a little bit more on rest, where we're focusing a little bit more on sleep, on having really good sleep routines to get the adequate rest that we need. So this could be a really great time of year to get some really cozy pajamas or loungewear that you can wear around the house that makes you feel really, really good. Or maybe getting a new pillowcase that feels really good while you're sleeping. Or getting some really yummy laundry detergent specifically for your bedding, so that your time when you're in bed feels really inviting and your sleep routine becomes something that you look forward to. I know my sleep tends to be a little all over the place, especially during the summer months and the really busy seasons when I want to be doing all of the things. So I really try to take advantage of this time to actually get my sleep back on track and getting adequate sleep, because I admittedly tend to not get adequate sleep the rest of the year. But taking advantage of the longer nights to really get the rest that we need is going to be super important. Now also super important is going to be your morning routine. Mornings can be so much harder during the winter because when we wake up, it's usually dark, it's cold, we don't want to get out of bed, we don't have a lot of energy to get up and do a million things. And so this could be a good time of year to really savor a slower morning routine. This is maybe not the time of year to wake up at 5am and to force yourself to do a bunch of stuff that you don't necessarily want to do or to get in a super crazy workout before work. If you feel up to that, that is great. But it is also okay if you don't feel up to it. So something that's been really helpful for me lately is savoring slower mornings. And so instead of getting up and immediately forcing myself to go to the gym or forcing myself to do something super early in the morning, I've actually appreciated a lot slower mornings where I have a little bit more time to journal, to read, and to pour into myself. And I find that during these cooler months, that's what my body craves a little bit more. And that is actually more centering and more grounding to me in this moment. So figuring out what really works for you and what it is that you need during this season is going to be super important. Now, the other thing that can be really hard this time of year is waking up and having it be dark, because it does tend to get light a lot later in the morning, which is later than when most of us are able to get up, when we need to be at work, when we need to be at school. Something that has been super helpful for me is having a hatch alarm. I actually got my hatch alarm last year for Christmas, and it is super, super helpful during the winter because you can set your alarm to mimic a sunrise. And so I have noticed that now it is dark during the time when I would usually wake up. I don't have the light peeking in from under my windows. So waking up to that lamp and waking up to that light has been really, really helpful for getting me out of bed and for helping me wake up and be in a better mood. So if you are really missing and craving that sunlight in the morning and it is a little bit too dark, getting some sort of lamp that mimics the sun. If you want to check out like a hatch alarm, I will link it in the show notes in my shop. My if you want to check that out, or just waking up and immediately turning on a light in your space, if you can. I know this can be hard. If you maybe share a bed or share a room with somebody else, then maybe it's getting up and going to another room and turning on kind of a bright light light to start to wake yourself up is going to be super, super important during the winter because that's what's going to signal to your brain, hey, it's time to get up. It's time to be awake. Now, something else that is super helpful for me during the winter is also laying out my workout clothes ahead of time so that I get up and I immediately change into them. I find that if I give myself a little bit too much wiggle room in the morning and I don't have my workout clothes set out, I don't have maybe, like, a cozy robe to put on, then I just feel cold when I wake up, and I don't want to change into my workout clothes. And then I just want to lounge around the house all morning, which is honestly not like a luxury that I or many people really have. And we have to get up and we have things to do. So normally, I will set out the workout outfit that I plan to wear that morning next to my robe. And when I wake up, per my alarm, with a little sunlight, I will change into my workout clothes, and then I'll immediately put my robe on so that I can still feel that cozy feeling. But I'm also dressed and ready for business. When it's time to conduct some business. This could also be time to really savor a warm morning drink, Whether that is warm lemon water, whether that is, you know, a cup of coffee or a cup of tea. Although, really making sure that you do have something in your stomach before you have something with caffeine in it is going to be really, really important for helping to just manage anxiety, and it's better for your digestive health. But having something warm and cozy that you can look forward to in the morning, whether that's putting on your robe, whether that's having a warm, cozy drink, is going to be really, really important to get you up and to get you moving. Now, the next thing that's going to be really important during the winter months is going to be making sure that you're nourishing your body properly. And that can also be tricky during the winter. I feel like during the summer, it is a lot easier to nourish our bodies easily because there's all of this fresh produce. We're eating salads and we're eating fruit, and we are, you know, just really loving what's in season. And then during the winter, some of the food produce is, like, a little bit less exciting. You know, we don't have, like, as much yummy fruit. It's not in season, it doesn't taste as good. We have the holidays where we are indulging in a lot of our favorite treats, which is great. I think we should all enjoy our favorite holiday foods, our favorite traditional foods, our sweets, our treats. I'm not at all ever telling anybody not to eat them, because I know I'm going to eat them and I'm going to enjoy them. But it is all about that balance, right? So making sure that even when you do have your favorite seasonal things or that you're seeking out comfort, also making sure that you're getting some nourishment as well. So this is a really great time of year to really focus on things like soups and stews and chilies and roasting vegetables to make sure that we're still getting good veggies in, even though it's not the season where we maybe want to eat a lot of things raw or a lot of produce isn't particularly yummy. How can you find ways to sneak nourishment into your meals? Also making sure that you're getting adequate protein. I know for me this time of year I love carbs, carbs and more carbs. That's just like what I feel comforted by. That is what I want. Again, I'm going to continue to eat it and I will never tell anybody to not eat something. But also making sure that I'm getting a good source of protein with those things so that I can still reach my muscle goals, so that I can still feel satiated, so that I can still have steady energy is going to be really, really important. So still making sure that you are trying your best to get a source of protein and a source of produce in as many meals as possible. While you still eat those amazing comfort foods, while you still love those, those holiday foods, finding a way to make those sources of protein and produce comfy and cozy is going to be really important. Now, I personally am in an era where I'm not cooking a lot. If you are subscribed to my substack right now, you know, Les is not in her recipe era, she's not in her cooking era, she's not in her meal prepping era. So I have also been purchasing pre prepped meals because that just works a little bit better for my schedule and for my mental health right now. And so if you also are in a space where you are like, I mentally just cannot, maybe getting meals prepped is going to be helpful. Maybe getting some, you know, soups from the store to reheat throughout the week is going to be helpful. Whatever you need to nourish your mind and your body is going to be super, super important during this time of year to keep you just feeling energized and satisfied because our energy can take such a dip this time of year. So making sure that you're still giving your body the nourishment it needs is going to be really important. This is also the time of year when a lot of us tend to get sick, we tend to get colds, whether that is from the lack of vitamin D from the sun, whether it's from holiday travel and us being around so many people. So really making sure that you are getting that good nutrition in from protein and produce even throughout the winter and the holidays is going to be really important to help you feel your best, to help you keep your immune system up, to help you keep your energy up, which are going to need as the days get shorter and there may be a little bit more demanded of you during the holiday season.
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Let'S dive into hydration for a second because it's not just a summer thing. With winter almost in full swing, it's easy to overlook that chilly weather can dehydrate us too. And when you're dehydrated you feel sluggish, you deal with cramps and can get those annoying headaches, but nobody has time for that. That's why I'm excited to share my long time hydration lifesaver Element. The zero sugar electrolyte mix I swear by Element is a game changer if you want to hydrate without drowning in sugar or weird additives. Each stick gives you a solid mix of sodium, magnesium and potassium with none of the junk found in most sports drinks. So whether you're an athlete, fasting on keto or just trying to keep up with your busy life, Element is for you. Right now their limited edition Chocolate Medley is here and let me tell you, it is a vibe. Think Chocolate mint, chocolate Chai and chocolate Raspberry. Now my go to is mixing half a stick of chocolate mint into my coffee for a cozy minty mocha situation. And at night I love the chocolate Chai with hot water and a splash of cream. It's a super cozy treat, but if I'm just sipping my regular water throughout the day, I also love their fruity flavors like the Citrus salt and the Grapefruit salt. Those are my two go to's. And the kicker is you can try Element completely risk free. If you don't love it, you can give it to a friend and they'll refund you, no questions asked. Plus, just for balance Black Girl listeners, you can snag a free Element sample pack with any purchase@drinkelement.com balanceless that's D R I N K L M N T.com balanceless how you feel about your body and your relationship with food matter More than you might realize. I often talk about living a healthy lifestyle and part of that is building a positive connection with both your body and the way you eat. But let's be real, getting there isn't always easy. Struggling with food or body image is more common than you think. And the good news is it's something you can work on with the right support. There are proven, evidence based ways to break free from the harmful patterns of disordered eating. And that's where Equip comes in. Equip is a virtual eating disorder treatment program designed to help you heal your relationship with food and your body, all without leaving home. With Equip, you'll have access to a team of experts, including a therapist, dietitian, medical provider and mentor. It's built to fit into your life, supports all ages, and is covered by insurance. What sets Equip apart is their personalized approach. They know recovery isn't one size fits all, and they're committed to meeting you wherever you are on your journey. Their goal is to make sure you feel understood, supported and in control, all from the privacy and comfort of your space. If you or someone you know is navigating an eating disorder, EQIP is here to help. You don't have to go through it alone. They're ready to provide the care and resources you need. You deserve a life free from constant worries about food and your body. Learn more about Equip's treatment program by visiting Equip Health Balance Black Girl. That's Equip Health Balanced Black Girl.
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I think it's also really important to make sure we are focused on connection during the winter because connection can be really, really hard for a number of reasons. Maybe you don't have the best family dynamic or you don't have the best personal dynamic with people in your life. And the holidays can be really hard. Or maybe you don't see family or loved ones for the holidays and that can feel really isolating. Or maybe you do, but there are difficult relationships there that you know is just going to be a lot to manage emotionally. Also, when we look at the months of like January and February, those months tend to be really hard for people because a lot of us tend to just kind of hunker down and not leave the house and we tend to feel really isolated. So looking ahead a little bit, looking at your schedule, starting to talk to your friends now about making plans for that January, February timeframe to get everybody kind of out of the house a little bit and give yourself something to look forward to, is going to be really important. So start texting your friends, start getting time on the calendar, whether that is getting everybody together and maybe having like a potluck sometime in January, or planning some cozy movie nights in January, or starting to get on everyone's calendars for a Galentine's day. Like, start now, because, you know, the older you get, the harder it is to schedule with people. So if you start talking to your friends now and making those plans now, that's going to help you feel more connected to your community during those winter months when we feel a little bit more isolated. And it's also going to give you something to look forward to. And I know I am absolutely guilty of it being winter and feeling sad and feeling isolated, but then also not reaching out and not making any plans and not planning anything and not initiating anything. And so it's also something that I want to do better about. Starting to get things on the calendar, starting to make those plans around how you want to stay connected to your community and being really, really intentional about it is going to be important because those plans don't magically manifest themselves. I also think it's important to have something to look forward to, and I've talked about this a little bit on the podcast and on social media, but I actually think winter is the perfect season for adult extracurricular activities. That's what I call it. So a lot of us, you know, maybe did different activities when we were a kid. Maybe we played a sport, maybe we learned an instrument, maybe we did some sort of after school activity. And then we become adults and we have this routine of going to work, coming home, watching tv, we get up in the morning, rinse and repeat. And I've been there. I've definitely been in seasons of my life where that is what I do. And I can say, at least for myself, seasons like that of life have been some of my unhappiest, where I just get up, go to work, come home, sit on the couch, go to bed, rinse and repeat. I am somebody who needs activities and stimulation and things to look forward to. So for me, that often comes in the way of activities. So I've made a list of things that I really want to do this winter. Classes that I'm signed up to take, that I can really have something to look forward to. It's going to force me to get out of the house. Even though it's going to be cold, even though it's going to be dark, it's going to be something fun to help me be around other people and build that sense of community. So a few extracurriculars that I'm planning would be dance classes, because the Lord knows I can't dance. And it's always been a goal of mine to be able to dance. So I really want to take weekly dance classes. I really want to take a pasta making class because I think that that would be really fun. And there's one that I've been meaning to take. So I'm planning to sign up for that in January. I also really want to take fiction writing classes, so I'm going to be signing up for that this winter just to give myself kind of creative outlets, something fun to do and something to look forward to besides just staying home watching TV and working. That can do wonders for our mental health. So start thinking about an activity that you would want to do. Maybe you include friends, maybe you do it on your own. Maybe this is a way for you to meet friends. But start looking up offerings in your area. If there are classes that you want to take, if there's a hobby that you've always wanted to pick up, maybe a puzzle that you've always wanted to get to have like a designated puzzle night or a designated crochet night or knitting night, or whatever it is that you can look forward to every week. Maybe it's a book club that you do with friends, some sort of extracurricular activity that doesn't even have to cost a lot of money, but just something creatively stimulating that is purely for fun, to give you something to do and something to look forward to as we kind of navigate the especially drab months of January and February, if you can swing it. And if you got it like that, also maybe taking some sort of little trip during those months can be great. Like a nice trip to a warm, sunny place is awesome. That is the time of year when I like to go back to LA and do some podcast recordings just to get a little bit of sun, defrost a little bit. So I do kind of a work trip turned sunshine trip. And last year I timed it perfectly because literally the day I left it started snowing here and that was like the week I spent in la. So I'm hoping I get that lucky again. So if you can swing some sort of trip to a warm, sunny place, even better. If you can't swing that for this year, maybe you start planning that for the following year. So maybe it's a little too soon to do that in January 2025 or February 2025, but maybe you start planning that for January 2026 or February 2026, it's never too early to start planning things that you can look forward to and that can make you feel really good. So I also want to talk about fitness because I think fitness during the winter can be kind of precarious. I think a lot of people tend to feel motivated by fitness during the summer because they maybe want to look a certain way or they want to feel a certain way, which again, as long as people are moving, I'm not going to shame anybody from moving. As long as they're moving their bodies. I don't think that aesthetic based goals are the most effective or healthy. But if it gets you moving, whatever gets you moving, it's fine. I think as long as you have healthier things that keep you moving, that's what matters. So sometimes people can be very driven by that which can be very focused on the summer. And then sometimes people can feel very motivated to move during the winter if they feel that burst of energy in January around the new year. But we do know that that often tends to be short lived. So if you are looking to kick up your fitness routine this winter, I highly recommend starting slow and low, figuring out, okay, what can you do just to maintain the habit of movement where a lot of people get tripped up, as they say, okay, January 1st, I'm going to do a 75 hard and I'm going to do all of this stuff and I'm going to work out twice a day and I'm going to do this program and they hit it a little bit too hard during a season when our bodies don't really want to do that. If you don't have a fitness routine whatsoever, January 1st is kind of a hard time to just hit it and immediately slip into a fit person Persona. And so if you find yourself in that position, maintaining the habit of moving however you can is going to be really important.
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Do you ever feel overwhelmed by how many decisions we need to make in a day? I know I do. Everything from remembering our routines to deciding what to eat or what to wear can be exhausting. But thankfully, deciding on what water to drink doesn't have to be a tough decision because Smart Water Alkaline is an easy choice. Getting in enough water when you have a jam packed schedule or you're super active can feel challenging. So when I need to grab water on the go, I'll grab a Smart Water Alkaline. Now, not only does it taste amazing, but it's also vapor distilled with added antioxidant and a 9.5 pH. I'm always on the go. I'm going to several events each week. I work out every day, I'm recording episodes, I travel. So having a bottle of water that I can take with me, that fits in my bag and helps me feel my best is essential. Smart Water Alkaline is an easy choice for people looking to elevate in all areas of their lives in fitness and beyond. When it comes to living life, there is so much to overthink, especially when it comes to work, wellness, friendships, relationships. But at least we don't have to overthink what water we drink. And we have to stay hydrated because it is so incredibly important for our health, for our well being and for how we feel. So whether you're running miles or running meetings, Smart Water Alkaline can help you stay hydrated throughout your active life. Life's full of choices, and smart water is a simple one. Visit drinksmartwater.com to learn more.
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There are some activities that do tend to work well for the winter, whether that is a winter sport. If you do like things like skiing or snowboarding, those are great sources of exercise. If you have access to that, if you are in a position to be able to still go on walks during the winter and just like bundle up and you have maybe a walking buddy and you are able to walk when it's light or when it's safe, that is great. I mean, walking is always going to be the most effective form of exercise. If you do strength training, which, you know, every week I come on here and I'm preaching to y'all that you need to be strength training. Winter is a great time to strength train because it's often something that you do indoors. Because we tend to be eating a little bit more, because we tend to be sleeping a little bit more, that's actually exactly what our bodies need to put on muscle. So getting into a strength training protocol can be really great. And even doing yoga during the winter can be really great. I know during the winter I tend to do a little bit more yoga because a lot of the yoga spaces tend to be heated and I'm just looking for warmth. And so I'm a lot more motivated to do yoga during the winter because I'm just trying to be warm. Whatever you can do to maintain the habit of movement, this season is going to be important for a couple of reasons. One, it's going to give you energy, which you need when it's cold and when it's dark and when we don't want to do anything. That movement that we can generate, that energy we can generate by moving our bodies is going to help give us energy when we need it most. Two, it's going to help us maintain the habit of moving. And I think the habit of moving is more important than the movement you do. So that when spring and summer come around, we all get a little more pep in our step and you can amp up the intensity. It's a lot easier to do that by just replacing the movement you're already doing with higher intensity stuff than it is to go from not doing anything to doing something super intensely. So if you're setting some sort of New Year's resolution where you're focused on fitness, I really recommend starting low and starting slow. So how can you maintain as consistent of movement as possible? What is super realistic for your schedule and for your fitness level right now? And really focusing on that, finding ways to move again. Part of why I like to work out during the winter is just because it's like the only time that I can feel warm, whether I'm sweating it out in the gym or doing something like a warm yoga class or warm Pilates class, because I just like to feel warm. But whatever is going to motivate you to keep moving your body, however you can, is what is going to be more important. And then as we get closer to spring and the days get a little longer, we have a little bit more energy, we might be feeling a little bit more motivated. It's going to be easy to kick it up a notch because we already have the habit of moving our bodies. Our seasonal winter blues feel so much harder when we're not moving our bodies. And so finding a way to move however you can, whether that is working out at home, whether that is going to a heated space, whether that is really making sure that you have an accountability buddy who is going to keep you accountable for whatever form of movement you pick is going to be super important. We can't afford to not move during the season when our mental and physical health need us the most. Another thing that we're really going to want to focus on during the winter is really tending to our mental health. We have talked a lot about how the, you know, long nights and darkness tend to impact our mental health, but the holidays can also impact our mental health a lot. We may be putting in situations that cause a lot of financial strain, in situations where maybe there's a lot of family dynamics that are difficult to manage, or maybe we are in a state of grief and this Season amplifies that. Or maybe we feel a sense of FOMO if it seems like everyone else has people to celebrate with or people to be in community with, and you may feel like you don't have that. So really tending to your mental health this season is going to be super, super important for taking care of yourself this season. And so doing a self check in, being really honest with yourself about how am I feeling right now, what is contributing to the feelings that I have right now, and what support do I need to help me be able to process and navigate these feelings is going to be really, really important. Because if there's ever a time to have a good mindfulness practice where you can really tap in with yourself, it's going to be this time of year when we're more likely to have more stressors come up or triggers come up. So if it's been a while since you've gotten in your journal, now is the time to get in your journal. If it's been a while since you've, you know, taken time to do your meditations, now would be the time to really do your meditations. If you haven't been to therapy in a while and you've been wanting to, or it's something that you've been putting off, now would be a really great time to start shopping for a new therapist and to make sure that you are checking in with yourself and getting the support that you need to navigate how tricky this season can be. So if you have not yet been tapping in with your journal, doing it, writing down what you're grateful for, writing down that best case scenario of how you want this season to be, of how you want to feel if something upsets you, letting your journal be a safe space that you write about how you're feeling and what is coming up for you so that you can really process those feelings and not hold on to them can be really, really important to help you navigate this season. If you've been putting off therapy, now could be a really good time to get into it. Or if you find that like your current therapist isn't working or the current level of support that you have isn't working, it's okay to switch it up and to do something different. Maybe it's time to have a conversation with your therapist about what is or isn't working. Maybe it's time to find a new therapist. Maybe it's time to be able to have an open, honest conversation with a trusted friend about how you're feeling and what's going on. This is definitely not the time to sweep your feelings under the rug because it's the time of year when a lot of feelings can come up. So really honoring them and allowing space for those feelings to be felt and processed is going to be super, super important. And so many of the things that I've already mentioned in this episode, being on top of our exercise practice, having dedicated time spent with community that we're planning ahead of time so that it actually happens, having those activities or those adult extracurriculars are really designed to support our mental health. They are supposed to be stress relieving because this can be a time of year when we have a lot of stress going on with a lot of pressure to make things happen during the holidays, a lot of financial stress, family stress. So really making sure that we have those things that are able to balance out those stressors is going to be super important. And big B, and the B stands for boundaries. This is a time of year when it can be really hard to have boundaries, Especially during the holidays, especially when, you know, maybe you have family members who make certain comments about certain things or things that tend to get stirred up this time of year and still really starting to rehearse and practice and plan for the boundaries that you want to have set in place is going to be really important. So if you know that at the holiday table, there is always a topic that comes up that is maybe upsetting for you, start rehearsing what it is you're going to say to set a boundary in that conversation. Start almost anticipating it so that you know how to navigate that situation, or maybe have some conversations ahead of time, even if it's challenging to be able to create a more peaceful situation if you can. Now, again, it can be really hard to do that because we don't control other people's behavior. And a lot of these dynamics can be really challenging and really complex. But I think the more we can get ahead of it and be really proactive about setting those boundaries, the easier it is to do in the moment. So I like to have canned responses where if someone makes a comment about a body, we say this. If someone makes a comment about someone's relationship, we say this. If someone makes a comment about somebody's finances, we say this. And I have them ready to go and ready to shut down in case that comes up. Because then I don't feel as stuck in the moment figuring out what to say or as upset by it because it's like, immediately I know how to set that boundary. So if you need to start practicing some canned responses, having them in your notes app, rehearse them a little bit so that they can come out. When it's time to set a boundary and to shut something down, then maybe that's just what you have to do. Your piece is too important to not do everything you can to protect it. And sometimes that requires a little thinking ahead of time and being more proactive. Also just doing things that feel really good for you. If you know that you're going to be put in a tense situation, having something that you can really look forward to back home after you know you're leaving a holiday dinner, you're leaving an event, you know, if you know you're going to a dinner and maybe there's going to be something tense, then having your favorite pajamas set out and waiting for you, having your favorite book set out and waiting for you, having something that you can indulge in in a healthy way, waiting for you when you get home can be really helpful for navigating those difficult situations too. So I think just being as proactive as we can about our care of ourselves is important. And sometimes maybe that looks like not putting yourself in the situation to be in those spaces, which can be really, really hard. And it can depend on the dynamics that you have with the people in your life and what makes makes most sense to you. But you also don't have to be in spaces where you are not valued, where you are not respected, where your boundaries are not respected. So if it's time for you to create some new traditions or to occupy a different space, or to make new plans, or to be with chosen family, if that is what is going to help you feel more loved and supported and cared for in this season, then I think that that's what you should do because that's what's going to be most important for your well being. So really thinking about the experience that you want to have and doing everything that you can to care for yourself and create that experience is going to be really important when it comes to taking care of yourself this winter. So that is what I have for you when it comes to winter self care. I hope that as the year winds down, you're able to really take some time to pour into yourself, to nurture yourself and to honor who you are and how far you've come. Do not forget to give yourself things to look forward to, time with community. Do not forget to move your body and continue nourishing yourself as we get ready for the year ahead. Thank you so much for tuning into this episode. I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, please be sure to share it with a friend. Make sure you're subscribed across all platforms so that you never miss an episode and leave us a five star rating and review. I always create comprehensive show notes for these episodes that have links to resources that I mention and so usually for most episodes I will have that linked in the show notes if there's a product that I mention or if there's a resource that I think is particularly helpful. Anything that I mentioned in this episode will always be linked in the show notes for you to check out. So please make sure you are checking out the show notes because we put a lot of work in them and we also really want to make sure that you're able to apply what you listen to on the podcast to your life and the resources in the Show Notes often help you do that. Thank you so much for tuning in. Please take care of yourself this winter and I will see you next week.
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