How I got Over Seasonal Depression

The middle of January was pretty rough for me. It had been about a month and a half since I decided to step away from my career and step down to part time. It didn’t help at all it was freezing.

I usually get some sort of seasonal depression every year. But with the change in my career, this year the “winter blues” were harder to beat than normal.

When I first made the decision to step down (and make less money) I was inspired. I felt like there was a whole world of possibilities out there for me.

Then the realization of what I did hit me like a ton of bricks.

The negative thoughts crept in next: “You’ve been doing this so long that you probably can’t do anything else” and the constant wave of “you should try and get your old job back, you can’t make it on your own.”

A sense of looming dread started to hang over me. I didn’t actually finish my college degree, and going back to school wasn’t an option.

I worried about making enough money for the future. I was doing a good job of saving money and spending money sparingly. But I felt down on myself because I was making less and didn’t have another higher paying job lined up yet.

I let this smaller bought of depression infect other areas of my life.

I talked myself out of working out because it was cold outside (it was January) and that only made me feel worse about myself.

I felt badly because I let my morning routine go. The daily tasks I did every day seemed more mundane with each passing day.

Usually when I felt this sense of overwhelm, I would go outside and soak up some sunlight. Seeing green and being able to connect with nature has always been a way I could draw inspiration.

But all of these negative feelings came in when it was cold and gray outside, so I had to switch a few things up for the season.

Here’s how I got over Seasonal Depression and how you can too

1) Refocus on your purpose and why you got started.

It’s so easy to start to fall into a seasonal depression when you forget why you’re doing things everyday to get there. I fell into a seasonal depression because I felt like I was working and working and I couldn’t see what I was working for.

I’m a HUGE fan of using using visualizations in your life to manifest your goals. And one of the ways to do that is to have a vision board handy.

This is a good visual reminder for you when the “going gets tough”. It reminds you WHAT your goals are and WHY you’re working towards them.

If you haven’t made your own vision board yet, you can check out my inspiration for making a vision board here!

2) Focus on your Morning Routine

You know the saying, “I woke up on the wrong side of the bed”? Well, don’t let that be you!

If you start your day off on the right note, it’s likely the rest of your day will be the same. You can check out the post on 8 Ideas for a Healthy Morning Routine to start your own routine.

But I’ve added a step to my morning routine to be able to address any lingering concerns or thoughts from the previous night.

It’s called “Stream of Consciousness”

Simply take a small-ish notebook and write three pages the very first thing in the morning.

And don’t overthink your writing. You are literally writing down anything that comes to mind.

If you think it, you write it.

The idea is for you to clear your mind. So, if something was bothering you all of yesterday, you can just get it out.

For me, this usually consisted of getting any self doubt out, or anything that I might be stressed about in that day.

So how are you doing it?

Once you’re going down the rabbit hole of self doubt and helplessness, it can be a slippery slope. Climbing back out is difficult, but not impossible, no matter how far down you’ve gone.

Warm weather will come back again, eventually!

So how are you pulling yourself back out? I’d love to know! Let me know in the comments or connect on social @mindfullymonica

Until then, keep going!

You’ve got this.

xo,

Monica

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