Am I the only one who feels kind of blah right now?
The hustle, bustle and excitement of the Holidays has passed, it's cold outside but without the coziness of hot cocoa and Hallmark Christmas movies, school is likely back in session for students and it's back to the daily work grind for the rest of us. Not to mention we're still knee deep in a pandemic and likely not coming out for a long, long time.
I found myself starting to fell a bit like there was a cloud over my head, and I thought, "If I'm feeling this way, maybe someone else is too." So this post is for you, if you've been feeling more Eeyore than Pooh.
I want to discuss a few ways we can lift our spirits and find joy in the little things during, what I'm calling, "The Winter Slump."
But first, here's what I can tell you doesn't work. Scrolling.
Scrolling does not work. The short burst of dopamine that you get when seeing a funny post or video only lasts so long. And it's an incredibly superficial "high", if you will. It's someone else's life, someone else's reality, and the moment you put your phone down, you're stuck with you. Don't get me wrong, we all love a funny Tik Tok or two, but please don't look to social media to bring you joy. It never works.
Below are some of the things I will be trying, in order to truly find joy during this time.
Spend Intentional Time With Someone
How many of us plan to spend time with a friend, boyfriend, husband or family member and both parties end up being on the phone for the entire time that you're supposed to be bonding or enjoying each other's company? In my experience, there's "Passive Time" and then there's "Intentional Time". Intentional time is time spent where you're not distracted, which is incredibly difficult in our world. But a good way to do this is by going for a walk or doing something active/outdoors where you don't have the option to pick up your phone. Finding joy in little things, means making the effort to create little, memorable moments. And that's hard to do when you're not fully basking in the other person's presence.
Pick Up A New Craft
As we speak, my gorgeous calendula blossoms that I spoke about in my last blog post are in the dehydrator preparing to be used in my newest craft/hobby: sugar scrub making. And to say I'm excited, would be an understatement. Because this time can feel so lackluster, it's a great opportunity to learn something new. Learning new things always gives me a jolt of excitement, energy, and joy. Especially when I'm learning something that I can later put into use or action. This is also why over on Patreon, we're doing out FIRST 10 Day Femininity and Homemaking Challenge. For a few days of the challenge, we'll be learning new skills like baking bread and making our homes smell divine with simmer pots.
Bake, Bake, BAKE!
I know I talk about baking a lot, and I can't quite place my finger on why this is, but it seriously can make the saddest and darkest of days just a little bit brighter. Having something to focus on, to create, to mold, to indulge does A LOT for me during these weird in-between months. I know it can be intimidating, especially baking completely from scratch, but it's so worth it. I created a post during the Holidays in 2020 of my favorite Holiday cookie recipes and many of those are very beginner friendly! Baking is a small way to feel joy during this time and maintain some of that Holiday coziness that we all love so much.
Watch Standup
This one might be a tad silly, but let's be honest, laughter is medicine. And if the weird slowness and bad weather has got you down, grab your favorite cozy blanket, popcorn, hot cocoa, and watch something that will make you cackle. I recently watched Jim Gaffigan's standup, and it was genuinely so funny. I'd never known of his work and didn't know what to expect, but was so pleasantly surprised.
Forage a Flower/Plant Arrangement
This is a bit of a personal goal, but I really want to forage a flower or plant arrangement. I'm not sure where I would go to do this, what's legal to take and what isn't, but it just sounds like the most fun, "cottage-core-y" thing to do and I know it would bring me so much joy. Not only will it be fun to find different plant varieties, but it'll also add a pop of freshness to my apartment. But beware! Make sure you're not picking up anything poisonous, or that could end...very poorly.
Well loves, these are some of the things I'll be incorporating until the weather begins to warm and Spring starts springing. I hope you'll start carving out intentional time and working with your hands as we balance this wild interlude together.
xo,
F.
For some cozy comfort, watch my latest cottage apartment video HERE.
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