Is the cold weather, lack of sunlight and too much time cooped up indoors bringing you down? Sometimes it can feel hard to keep your mood up during our long winter months. The impact of dark, harsh wintertime is well-documented, and some people can even suffer from the seasonal affective disorder. For others though, it may just be a matter of staying energized, motivated and connected to the issues you care about. Here are three ways to stay positive until spring.
1. Join a book club. Winter is the perfect time to read, but why not do it in a group? Many organizations offer great reading lists, resources and social opportunities with book clubs covering a range of themes and issues. Or better yet, why not start a book club of your own? All it takes is to encourage several of your friends to join. Perhaps they know other people outside of your circle who would like to get back into the groove of reading a good book.
Arrange it so that everyone gets the opportunity to choose a book on a theme to everyone’s liking and discuss if the meet-up will take place at different homes, or perhaps a local restaurant or pub so that no one has to worry about hosting duties. Or, if the weather is bad, why not meet up via Skype or other online outlets like Google Hangouts?
2. Connect to a cause. There is no greater motivator than feeling genuinely engaged in a cause you’re passionate about. In the wintertime, it’s more difficult to spend a lot of time outdoors, so now is the perfect time to reflect on your passions and take action. Getting involved in a good cause is also a great way to expand your social circle and meet new people who share the same interests.
3. Have people over. For years, North Americans have been spending less and less time eating together at home. That is valuable time lost for connecting with loved ones and the people in your community. You may not be the only person suffering from the winter blues this season, so why not have people over? Host a good old-fashioned movie night or board games night.
