I don’t know how it is possible, but we have almost reached the end of 2013! I hope that you were able to spend some time with one or more of your favorite people last week. We had a lovely holiday at home, laying low but enjoying beautiful (spring-like!) weather here in Northern California.


Welcome to week 5 of The Winter Project!
(What is The Winter Project?)

Finding joy in the holidays: Movement

The new year is quietly sneaking up on me this year. In just a couple of days it will be 2014 and, as always, I can not resist the allure of this fresh start. For many people this is a time to refocus on fitness or other health goals and I’d like to share something that I’ve learned about myself in that area.

Winter mornings feel dark and cold and lonely outside of my bed. Climbing out of my cozy nest and into my workout clothes before the sun comes up never really feels like a good idea at the time. I drag myself to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I reluctantly change out of my soft pajamas and into a few layers of running clothes. I strap on my Garmin and tie up my shoes. I clip the leash on my dog and brace myself to feel the grinding cold as I open the front door and head out into the world.

Then, everything changes.

I press the “start” button on my Garmin and on my music. I slowly start to run saying, “let’s go!” to my dog. I shuffle, she sniffs. By the time I cross the street to head to my favorite bike trail, I’ve been running for about 20 seconds. When I get to the other side of that street, the leaves are still crunchy and the sun is beginning to rise and turn the sky pink. I am already happy that I’m there.

On the way out I sometimes see animals- deer, turkeys, rabbits. Despite the risk of looking like a crazy person to my early morning trailmates, I sometimes greet them out loud.

At about the 1 1/2 mile point I see my favorite tree. It is a giant oak with gnarly branches and a respect-comanding stature. I smile. I can’t help it.

On the way home I run faster. I want to see the grass around the park one more time before the fog that hovers slightly above it burns off. I want to see if the deer have moved on or if they are still frolicking in the trees just to the left of the trail and beyond the creek.

These mornings are my time. I love this ritual- of greeting the day nature-first and with all of my senses. When I am back home and peeling off sticky clothes, I am ready for the day and anything it decides to throw at me.

I used to exercise at a gym pounding out repetitive hours on cardio machines. These days I would rather run outside in pouring rain than on a treadmill. I can’t help it. Nature is my church and my gym and my drug. Even in my suburban neighborhood in California, I can find just enough in those early hours to make me happy for an entire day.

Studies have shown that vigorous exercise can be as helpful at relieving depression symptoms as antidepressant medications for some people. Getting your heart rate up most days of the week not only keeps you healthy physically; it keeps your mind well too. When I run my brain is busy. I am thinking about things in my life that need my attention or that are stressful for me. As I am running and turning these things over in my head, my body is bathed in endorphins. These stressful thoughts are dulled by the endorphins and they lose their power. Exercise is good therapy!

Some of my favorite ways to move:

• Running (or walking) outside as the sun rises
• Indoor swimming (we have a community pool with a retractable roof that I love!)
• Snowshoeing or cross-country skiing (bonus points for going at night during a full moon!)
• Yoga (this is usually indoors but it feels so, so good to be in a warm studio with rain or snow falling outside)
• Cycling on our local bike trails through oak trees, next to a river

This week’s challenge: Assess your current exercise plan (or lack there of) and consider these questions:

Decide where you need to change something (start exercising, try something new or adventurous, add a day of rest, add strength training, add yoga/stretching, add another mile, go outside, etc.), and plan your workouts for the week. If you aren’t currently exercising or it has been awhile for you, a slow sunrise walk to take photos in the magic light of early morning might be a good place to begin. If regular exercise is new for you (or if it has been a long time), please check in with your doctor before you begin.  

My plan: I spent the past week doing more resting than exercising vigorously. I am planning to hit the trail this week and check in with my favorite tree! It is time to get moving again.

Where will you begin in 2014?

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As we move through this project, I would love to hear about your survival skills, struggles, and success in the comments or by email (you can reach me at getnatured@gmail.com)!

Don’t miss out! Subscribe to receive free Get Natured updates so you can be included in The Winter Project. The weather outside doesn’t have to be frightful! xoxo

Other ways to follow along:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram


*Important note: I am not a licensed mental health professional. This advice is not intended to take the place of therapy or medications. Please seek professional care if you are suffering from depression or anxiety symptoms.

Did you make a list of your favorite downtime activities last week? Were you able to find a few minutes here and there to squeeze some of them into your busy days?

A reader commented last week that she believes the most important thing you can do to change your attitude on life is to be grateful. I agree! Even if you are only able to find small joyful moments in your days, be grateful for those. Happiness is cumulative!


Welcome to week 4 of The Winter Project!
(What is The Winter Project?)

Finding joy in the holidays: Connection and community

The idea of gathering to “break bread” isn’t new. People have been sharing meals casually and ritually for millennia. This is Christmas week and, for my family, that means lots of gathering and sharing.

Last year on Christmas Eve, my husband, our children, and I visited three local charities to offer donations of warm clothing, toiletries, food, etc. to homeless individuals, families, and pets. Our kids are always very excited about receiving gifts, of course, but we wanted them to experience the feeling of sharing with someone(s) who are greatly in need of help as well as to give them perspective on how blessed we are to have a home and all of our comforts. We worked together to bring just a little bit of love to people and animals in our community.

This year we have plans with family beginning on Christmas Eve and continuing through the week. Gathering with people we love for a common purpose (in this case, to celebrate the Christmas holiday) can be such a comfort. This time of year provides many opportunities to connect: from family meals to holiday parties and gatherings with friends. All of these people have special roles in our lives and spending meaningful time with each of them feeds us in different ways. Some of our relationships are with family and others are with our “tribe”, or the community that we create around us. All of these connections bring rich and wonderful things to our lives.

Challenge for the week: Host a gathering of any size. Get together in a drama-free way and with a common purpose- even if that purpose is to relax! It doesn’t have to be at home and it doesn’t have to be a big production. Even meeting a good friend for coffee or a glass of wine or going on a date night with your favorite person counts! The point is to share time and space with someone who’s company you enjoy. Be present, enjoy the moment, and show up with your whole heart. As writer Jim Elliot is quoted, “wherever you are, be all there!” Who are you wishing to spend time with this week?

My plan for the week: We will be spending Christmas and the following days with family. I also hope to squeeze in a quick visit with friends.

If you celebrate Christmas, have a blessed holiday and enjoy your time with loved ones!

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As we move through this project, I would love to hear about your survival skills, struggles, and success in the comments or by email (you can reach me at getnatured@gmail.com)!

Don’t miss out! Subscribe to receive free Get Natured updates so you can be included in The Winter Project. The weather outside doesn’t have to be frightful! xoxo

Other ways to follow along:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

*Important note: I am not a licensed mental health professional. This advice is not intended to take the place of therapy or medications. Please seek professional care if you are suffering from depression or anxiety symptoms.

How have you nurtured your basic needs over the last week? Are you finding ways to get the sleep and care you need? It can be extremely difficult to keep up good habits this time of year. Do your best to eliminate what is working against you (lack of sleep, junk food) and add in things that will help you build joy (exercise, nourishing foods).

Keep up the great work- all of the good you do adds up!


Welcome to week 3 of The Winter Project!
(What is The Winter Project?)

Finding joy in the holidays: Leisure time

In spite of the modern conveniences that are designed to make us more productive, we have less and less time to simply relax these days. All of our things need to be maintained, cleaned, insured, stored, checked, updated, etc. The more “conveniences” we have, the less we have of what we really need- time.

With all of the extras on our to-do lists this time of year, it is easy to start feeling anxiety about having only fragments of time to do anything at all. When you finally do get a moment or two to yourself, you may find that you have forgotten how to relax or that you spend all of your downtime trying to decide what you want to do! Having an idea in mind that sounds deliciously restful can help you to make the most of your time.

Challenge for the week: Make a list of your favorite ways to spend downtime. They can be big or small- the point is to find ideas that give you energy just thinking about them. Looking forward to your favorite things can help you make the most of leisure time. Try to find a little time each day this week to rest, recharge, and reflect. It doesn’t need to take hours- even a few minutes can help press the reset button. Since happiness is cumulative, even little bits of time to exhale and take a break can do wonders for keeping the peace in your mind.

My list of juicy, winter downtime goodness:

My plan for the week: I will be making homemade (hands-on) Christmas gifts, watching holiday movies, reading a daily Advent book, listening to a serious page-turner of an audiobook while I’m doing chores and walking the dog, having a massage, and taking a family walk under the full moon.

What about you? What makes your heart smile?

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As we move through this project, I would love to hear about your survival skills, struggles, and success in the comments or by email (you can reach me at getnatured@gmail.com)!

Don’t miss out! Subscribe to receive free Get Natured updates so you can be included in The Winter Project. The weather outside doesn’t have to be frightful! xoxo

Other ways to follow along:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram


*Important note: I am not a licensed mental health professional. This advice is not intended to take the place of therapy or medications. Please seek professional care if you are suffering from depression or anxiety symptoms.

How are you doing with connecting with the season? Have you found any new joys?

Welcome to week 2 of The Winter Project! 
(What is The Winter Project?)

This week we are going back to basics!

Finding joy in the holidays: Nurturing your basic needs

We are all familiar with the concept of the hierarchy of needs. We must do basic arithmetic before we learn calculus; food and shelter before fancy cars and trips abroad. Consider these basic needs in your life and think about how fulfilled you feel in each of these areas.

Don’t forget, happiness is cumulative! These things work together to keep you healthy and happy.

Consider these basic health needs and areas where you might need a little more focus:

Questions to ask yourself: Overall, how do you feel? Which areas are difficult for you to keep in balance over the holidays?

My plan: I will focus in getting to bed early enough to get a minimum of 7 hours of sleep. I’ll keep up with my exercise routine and not let workouts drop over the holidays. I’ll make sure to take a few yoga classes too. I’ll support my immune system with healthy clean food including a few new and old favorite things: magic mineral broth, green smoothies or juice, big ol’ salads, and soups like this immunity soup.

How will you nurture yourself through this season? 

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As we move through this project, I would love to hear about your survival skills, struggles, and success in the comments or by email (you can reach me at getnatured@gmail.com).

Don’t miss out! Subscribe to receive free Get Natured updates so you can be included in The Winter Project. The weather outside doesn’t have to be frightful! xoxo

Other ways to follow along:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

*Important note: I am not a licensed mental health professional. This advice is not intended to take the place of therapy or medications. Please seek professional care if you are suffering from depression or anxiety symptoms.

It is no coincidence that Pinterest and other social media outlets start to fill up with posts about pumpkin recipes in the fall and summer bucket lists in June. Tying our rituals and traditions to the seasons connects us to the world around us and brings new joy all through the year. Every season has its own routines, in the world and in our homes. I do my best to make my favorite seasonal things traditional and spend plenty of time in nature to observe the natural change and pace of things.

Don’t forget, happiness is cumulative! 

Try these ways to embrace the season and keep your joy bank topped up:

1. Food: Make something delicious but healthy, with warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or cayenne. Think about using fresh seasonal ingredients like cranberries, squash, root vegetables, or mandarin oranges. Try:

*More recipes here, here, here, here, here.


2. Nature: Bundle up and spend some time outside. Explore with each of your senses noticing smells, sights, sounds, feelings, and the taste of a hot drink. Go big and go skiing, snowboarding, sledding, or snowshoeing or simply take a walk around your neighborhood. Some playful things to try:

3. Crafts or projects: Handmade holiday gifts are my favorite thing to give and receive and the decorations made by my kids are hands-down the most precious on our tree. This month we will be making gifts as well as ornaments for our Christmas tree. I am also using an advent calendar with daily holiday fun ideas that I wrote so we stay connected to the joy of the season. In addition to gifts and decorations, we also make sun catchers this time of year:

Welcome to The Winter Project!

We are heading into winter, the time when everyone seems to slow down to rest. It is time for blankets and fires and hot cocoa and it all sounds very cozy.

Until it doesn’t.

After the excitement of the holidays, or even during that time, we tire of layered clothing, dripping umbrellas, and muddy boots. We tire of being cold and of dark mornings and holing up.

For many people, the shorter days and cold weather can trigger the winter blues. Rather than thinking in terms of finding a cure, it can be very helpful to develop winter survival skills that you can turn to when you need extra support*.

Happiness is cumulative; fill up your tank!

I believe that happiness is cumulative. In my own life I have created what I call my “bag of tricks for staying buoyant” that I return to when I need to fill up my happiness tank. Just like too many negative things can drag you down, accumulating good feelings and experiences lifts you up. It is exceedingly important to keep up with regular deposits to your joy bank, especially in the winter.

Follow along with me while I introduce you to my strategy for staying happy and healthy through the winter and beyond. I will share my bag of tricks and offer some suggestions and challenges to help you develop your own.

• December: Finding joy in the holidays
• January: Surviving the winter with warmth and comfort
• February: Winter play!