10 Ways I Beat the Winter Blues

Well, it’s February now and if you live in the Northern Hemisphere like me, you may be bummed at the thought of 6 more weeks of Winter. Depending on where you live it might be mild-to-freezing, but for me, it’s the lack of daylight hours that gets me feeling dreary. Whilst longing for sunnier days (remind me of this in a few months when I’m complaining it’s too damn hot) I got to thinking of some surefire ways I cheer myself up and beat the doldrums.

PULL OUT THAT BOOK YOU’VE BEEN MEANING TO READ

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I recently picked up ‘Pretty Iconic‘ by Sali Hughes after devouring her first book, ‘Pretty Honest‘. If you’re a beauty lover, I highly recommend checking out Sali’s books; ‘Pretty Honest’ had me chuckling out loud, furiously nodding my head at some of her hilarious stories.

 

ALL THE BUBBLES

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If you’re like me and swear you can feel the winter blues deep in your bones, then it’s the perfect time to treat yourself to a soak. Dust off one of those fancy bath bombs you bought then never used and set aside a nice half hour to let your mind and body rest. I prefer to pick an uplifting, citrusy fragrance like Lush’s Brightside.

 

TIME FOR TIPS AND TOES

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When I’m bored or bummed, sometimes I like to pick out a bright, fun colour of polish and really take my time getting the perfect mani and pedi. Go outside your normal shade rotation and pick something wild – even if you just use it on your toes. It’s Winter so they might not get seen, but you’ll probably smile at the thought of lime green toes! I love the Essie Gel Couture polishes because they last so long, and the Top Coat is incredible.

 

NETFLIX AND CHILL… LIKE ACTUALLY CHILL

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Perfect for a rainy day when you’ve got nothing else going on, I like to randomly choose a new series on Netflix to watch. If you never finished the last season of Mad Men (ahem, guilty) now’s the time to binge watch. Relax, snuggle up with a cosy blanket and dive in. Don’t have a smart TV or feel like watching it on your computer? You can by Roku Streaming Stick for about $50 and plug it directly into your TV’s USB port!

 

IT’S ALWAYS TEA TIME

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Seriously, though – I always feel better once I’ve had a cup of tea. Scratchy throat? Tea. Feeling blue? Tea. Headache? Tea. Pop on the kettle, brew up a pot and enjoy the comfy cosy of it all. I sip from a custom mug my bestie got me for my birthday last year, and it always puts a smile on my face. One of my fave brews to sip is the Teapigs Peppermint Leaves.

 

GO ON, BUY THAT NEW LIPSTICK

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Listen, I am all for a little retail therapy every now and then. I’m not endorsing blowing your paycheque ever week on the latest MAC collection, but if a new lippie, shadow or gloss puts a little pep in your step I say go for it. This is the case of staying within your budget, but treat yourself to a token gift. You deserve it damn it! I recommend the Urban Decay Vice Lipsticks* – there are 100 shades and the bullet looks swanky enough to want to pull out of your purse at an affordable cost.

 

IMPROMPTU SONG AND DANCE PARTY

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Ok, so this one you might feel ridiculous doing at first, but trust me.
Youtube a couple classic songs that bring back great memories. Even better if you know the words to them. Plug in the earbuds so you can blast it (or better yet go wireless!) and get up off your butt and dance party it out. The sillier the better as far as I am concerned! Whether it’s a cheesy boy band, rapping the chorus to TLC’s ‘Waterfalls’ or belting out Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ I promise you’ll all the good vibes will be flowing!

I’ve been living for my Sudio Vasa Bla Wireless Earbuds. They’re super lightweight and pair with my phone in seconds. (Don’t forget to take 15% off with the code: girllovesgloss)

 

SNUGGLING UP AND PRESS PLAY

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Ok so you’ve watched every episode of Grey’s Anatomy on Netflix and still feeling the blues (McDreamy!?!?). Now it’s time to bust out the big guns; Pop on your favourite movie from when you were young. Maybe it’s a classic like The Wizard of Oz, or perhaps it’s a cult classic like The Breakfast Club. Maybe you just want to watch Mean Girls for the 6430734503th time (you go Glen Coco).

 

SWEAT IT OUT

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I know, I know – the last thing you probably want to do is hit the gym, but you’ll feel better after! It usually takes a while for my to psych myself up for it, but I never regret going to the gym once I am done. When in doubt just hit up the weights and lift for a bit; You’ll feel strong when you leave which is a great start to feeling more positive!

 

GET OUT OF THE HOUSE

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So you’ve snuggled in, watched movies, caught up on Netflix, had your own personal dance party and still feeling glum? Get out of the house! Go for a walk, meet up with a friend for coffee or lunch – heck go to the grocery store with a list of everything your pantry is missing. Just get out and get distracted by something other than your own dreariness.