SAD
"Summer bodies are made in the Winter," that famous line used by P.T.s to bump up their winter client list, but you know what? They have a point.
The good ones understand that it takes time to achieve sustainable results, changing bad exercise habits takes time, and getting a better relationship takes time, and for the best results, it is best to start this early. You are making positive changes in your daily routine to be a better version of yourself.
Switch those words around a little and change the subject to the mind.
S.A.D. (seasonal affective disorder) affects, in some capacity, up to 26% of the population (in Ireland), and I'm sure we could raise that by another 30% if you asked most people how the dark early mornings and early evenings make you feel.
S.A.D is a type of depression that occurs in a seasonal pattern.
We are experiencing low mood, zero energy, loss of drive, and just plain sad for no particular reason.
Is there anything that we can do to combat this, protect ourselves with a shield?
To give our day an added purpose, adding some value to it.
Suggestions include going for a walk outdoors on our lunch break to utilize the piece of daylight we get to experience and bringing our gym gear to go straight from work rather than going back to a warm house and deciding against it.
Surrounding yourself with as many good friends as possible.
Joining that yoga class you keep putting off, starting an online book club or in-person one with your friends, or maybe doing an online course? Substituting hours on the couch watching Netflix for educating oneself.
Even going to bed earlier allows extra morning time to make the day feel longer.
These are the choices only you can make. It takes consistency and dedication to break a habit, start a new routine, and go to bed each night without the feeling of work, home, bed, repeat.
The mind is a powerful tool, like an engine, but unless we maintain it and work on it, it can control us.
We can only concentrate on what we can control, and unfortunately, the weather and hours of daylight are not one of those things, but what we are going to do during the day or our approach to each day IS.
What winter addition will you bring into your daily/weekly routine?
To give yourself the best chance of having the best relationship with yourself in the colder months, to add an extra purpose to each day.
As always, thanks for reading.
Marcus.