10 Ways to Beat the Winter Blahs (Part II)

So have you tried anything from Part I yet? I'm really having fun experimenting with some of these. Sometimes it doesn't take much to sway one's mood for the better!

In case none of the first five tickled your fancy, voici, starting where I left off, five more ideas to help beat the winter blahs:

6. Switch up your décor.

An oldie, but a goodie. A new pillow, a new piece of art or a new throw can do wonders. Visit your favourite consignment or thrift shop and let yourself be inspired, or explore your cupboards and re-arrange what you already have. Play.

7. Watch something you wouldn't normally watch, or bring back an old favourite.

Catch a new documentary, TV series or an animated film – something you wouldn't normally watch (for inspiration check here or here). On the flip side, go back to your roots with an old favourite. Breakfast Club or Ferris Bueller's Day Off, anyone? Anyone???

8. Go for a walk.

This is so simple, but on some days it can be so haaaaaaard <whine>. Can you tell I speak from experience? The first step is getting out the door, once you're out it gets easier. You don't have to go far, just put your coat on and step outside. The fresh air will do you good, I promise. Bring your camera and engage in a bit of camera play while you're at it, it's more fun that way.

New Year's Day. It was very cold outside, but D. and I gave ourselves a little kick in the ..., bundled up and took a brisk, invigorating walk in the woods. It felt good!

9. Take a photo walk right in your own home.

If the weather's too icky to get out and you're feeling restless, why don't you do a photo walk right in your own home? Put together a photo tour of your favourite spaces or photograph your favourite things. How about trying a colour theme or giving yourself a photography lesson? There are plenty of resources online. You'd be amazed at how many interesting things there are to see and capture right under our noses.

I took over 80 snapshots in one sitting at my dining room table including lots of happy colour, thanks to a bowl of jellybeans.

10. Plan or take a vacation.

If all else fails, there's always escape. Take a getaway to a nearby town or city. Planning a trip later this year? Do some research, find books that will bring you “off the beaten path” or offer you a view of your destination through a specific lens. Last year while planning a trip to Paris, I savoured a gem of a book called Hidden Gardens of Paris: A Guide to the Parks, Squares, and Woodlands of the City of Light. This year we're going to New York and I found a perfect book for us called Discovering Vintage New York: A Guide to the City's Timeless Shops, Bars, Delis & More. How about finding something like that about your own town or city? Sometimes even promise of an escape is enough to get us out of that dreary funk.

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So, shall we recap? Ten ways to help beat the winter blahs:

1. Make one day a week "New Recipe Day."
2. Light it up.
3. Break out the tunes.
4. Try saying YES.
5. Plan something social.
6. Switch up your décor.
7. Watch something you wouldn't normally watch, or bring back an old favourite.
8. Go for a walk.
9. Take a photo walk right in your own home.
10. Plan or take a vacation.

These simple things are helping me navigate this winter's funk a little more gracefully and I hope they may do the same for you if you're in the same boat.

But I would love to hear from you, too.

How do YOU beat the winter blahs? If you're comfortable sharing, please do tell in the comments, below.

10 Ways to Beat the Winter Blahs (Part I)

We've had a lot of grey and icky weather over here lately. Combine that with post-holiday blahs and a winter that seemed long even before December ended, and it's easy to let complacency or cabin fever take over.

In an effort of self-preservation, I've compiled ten simple ways to help beat the winter blahs. Voici, the first five, in case you're feeling the same way:

1. Make one day a week “New Recipe Day."

January is often a popular time of year to get into healthy eating habits. Whether you're trying to get back to where you were before the holidays or turning over a new leaf, why not make it fun by trying something new? Set a theme (Snazzy Soups, Warm Climate Wishes, Make it Green...) or keep it open. A one-day break out of a food rut can go a long way. It doesn't matter if the recipe sucked, it's the culinary adventure that counts!

a new soup experiment last year resulted in a new favourite for this year (see the recipe here)

2. Light it up.

Lighting. Christmas lights, twinkle lights, candlelight... I'm a sucker for lighting. When it starts to feel gloomy I start turning on my lamps. Lunch and dinner are often accompanied by candlelight. How could you make your space a little warmer and brighter?

3. Break out the tunes.

There are so many online radio stations out there that it's easy to find something for every mood and taste. Cooking something spicy for New Recipe Day? How about finding some music that'll warm you (and maybe your dinner guest) up? Or maybe you're in the mood for the hair bands that saw you through your teens, or a little James Brown to get your groove on? Find something new, try something that's outside of your usual go-to stations and bust a move.

4. Try saying YES.

If you're thinking about doing something out of your normal routine, but are on the fence, try saying yes.* Last week my husband and I took a drive out to the country on a school night in search of a promised out-of-this-world show of northern lights. Unfortunately the northern lights were a dud, but we gained a wee sense of adventure just by getting out with the hopes of finding them. That and we left the house after 10pm on a Thursday night, which is well worth a high-five in our books! Us: 1. Complacency: 0.

* Disclaimer: Um, just so we're clear, I'm not condoning anything potentially harmful or not cool here, m'kay?

5. Plan something social.

Host a games or movie night. Convince your colleagues to go out for lunch or coffee. See a movie with friends or organize a coffee shop crawl. If you're really brave, invite some friends over on New Recipe Day. If you're all "socialed" out after the holidays you might want to skip this one for now, but if you're ready, by all means send out the invitations!

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I've tried four out of five of these so far and they did make a difference. The blahs can be a tricky beast, but there are ways to beat them. Oh and go ahead, pull out that Def Leppard CD, I know you wanna.

Part II, coming soon...