Conquering the Winter Blues

“One kind word
Can warm three winter months.”
Japanese Proverb

What warms you in this mid-wintertime? A cup of hot chocolate as you read
a book? Friends gathering for food and fellowship? A brisk walk in the
woods, or some time on the slopes to get the blood circulating? A bath
filled with salts to put you into a womb-like/supportive state?
There are myriad opportunities for self-care…but are you availing yourself
of ALL the possibilities? Given the fast pace of modern life, an important
question is are we just dealing with symptoms, i.e a quick cup of cocoa or a
hot bath for temporary relief, or are we taking the time to go deeper and
take an inventory about what really supports us on an ongoing basis?
A well-known (if scientifically disproved) fable is that of the “Boiling Frog”.
The set-up is that if you put a frog into already boiling water it will
immediately jump out, but if you put it in temperate water and slowly raise
the temperature, it will stay there until it’s blood boils and dies. It is used as
a parable of being unaware that our outer surroundings are changing
(slowly) and that by the time we wake up to what is really happening, it is
too late. It is most often used to address living in stressful burnout
situations and serves as a clarion call to become aware of what is truly,
silently, undermining and even killing us.

So, perhaps you may be one of those rare actualized human beings who is
doing everything possible and have no SAD (Seasonally Affective Disorder)
“symptoms”. But how can we really know?

Here is a simple 5-Step Self-Assessment tool (FRESH):
Food- Are you craving certain foods, and are they HEALTHY?
Rest- Are you truly getting enough AND restful sleep (and naps)?
Emotions- Do you find yourself more irritable and reactive?
Stuck- Are you progressing enough in relationships, career, and life?
Happiness- Perhaps the most elusive metric…are you truly Happy?

This FRESH tool can give you the information you need to take action (or
non-action) to address core issues. The goal is to do more than merely
Survive, but to Thrive. Winter months can truly become your best friend,
your best advisor for you to take the time to do a Life Review. Spring will be
fast approaching, and this is the time to get ready for that vernal rush of
energy and even more activity.

Applying and implementing FRESH will be different for each person. One
gold standard approach is to do the assessment using whatever spiritual
and psychological processes you are currently using. Meditate, journal,
dream, analyze your situation in whatever manner you currently are
employing. (You can visit our CenterPoint website for some useful and
practical tools and classes to assist you).

One of the most important elements in whatever approach(es) you use is to
write the results down. Don’t just carry them in your head. Develop the
discipline to carry a journal with you (or use the apps on your phone that
accomplishes the same results). Keep track, and add regularly, i.e daily, to
develop a meaningful dialogue with your Inner Self. Guaranteed this will be
rewarded. Make a commitment to complete this initial FRESH evaluation
within a week. It needn’t take too long just get a general lay of the
landscape. You want to start with low-lying fruit..a simple “Where am I” in
various parts of your life.

Next steps depend upon the information that arises. Pick the one or two
elements that might be realistically, and relatively easily, adjusted. Notice I
did not say “changed”. The goal is not to make “big changes”, but simply to
allow yourself to flow into a more happy, joyful mode of being. That rarely
involves “revolution”, and most often “evolution. As the Japanese proverb
suggests “Be Kind”.

In the “Messages from the HeartMind” section of the Berkshire CenterPoint
website there are words that may be most helpful, if applied to yourself:
“The Journey of Joy begins with a single act of Kindness”> Be kind first to
yourself that you may have that Wellspring of Joy to share with others.

Picture Credit: Cori Vosburg, Mid-winter in Pittsfield, MA