How to stay motivated in Winter
I recently spent two weeks in Byron as I felt like I needed a change in scenery. I always find Winter a difficult time to navigate as I feel less motivated and inspired. Creativity comes and goes in waves, but I find it hard during the colder months to stay creative. My intention for this trip was to explore new ways to be creative as I often learn new things about myself through this. I thought it could be helpful to share some things that help me reset for winter whilst I was away.
Prioritise your morning routine:
Throughout Winter, I find myself sleeping in later. I’m definitely a morning person and I really enjoy those early hours of the morning as it’s a time for me to set my intentions for the day ahead while it’s peaceful and quiet. I always love to start each morning with a Gua Sha which I use in collaboration with my By Oli Oli Prickly Pear Seed Oil.
While I was up in Byron, I made it a priority to get back into a routine of waking up earlier. I love starting my morning with some form of movement so I would often go and do a 6am yoga class at Creature Yoga. As I did my Yoga Teacher Training through this studio I always love going and expanding on my own practice through other teachers. After my class I would get my morning matcha and head to the beach. It felt good to have done most things by 9am and I could then ease into the day without feeling rushed for time.
Explore new ways to be creative
During this trip I booked in two workshops. One was a Pottery class and the other was a drawing class. I had no expectations of myself for both of these as I didn’t want to leave feeling disappointed if I had set myself certain goals. The pottery class went for three hours, and time really does fly when you’re having fun! I was using things I remember using as a kid (for example paint brushes) For the first time in a long time I felt so present and invested into creating something. The drawing class was on a Saturday afternoon and my favourite flower store in Byron called Braer. It was a two-hour class which consisted of drawing different types of flowers. After doing both these workshops I felt like I had discovered a whole new creative side of me and left feeling inspired and filled with new ideas for my business.
Invest time into your self-care
Self-care is a broad term for anything we do for ourselves solely for the purpose of looking after our body or minds. Self-care is important as it ensures we are doing all the things our body and mind need in order to function at their best. Self-care is often thought about as a luxury or an indulgence, rather than something as everyday and essential. This means people don’t often prioritise themselves and as a result can end up feeling stressed and burnt out. I always love scheduling time in for myself each day. During this trip I was grateful to have attended a Winter Reset event with Trybe Wellness. This two-hour experience included a guided Breathwork session, a yoga flow and a beautiful dinner from their new Winter Reset Guide. It felt so nice to shift some energy and be more present in my thoughts and feelings.
Nourish yourself
I always feel my best when I’m fueling myself and winter is the perfect time to slow down and get creative in the kitchen. During these months I love to focus on incorporating more warmer and anti-inflammatory foods that can keep me from getting sick. Some of my favourite vegetables to cook with during Winter are Pumpkin, Cauliflower, Kale, Carrots and Sweet Potato.
Sunshine and Fresh Air
During Winter we often don’t get as much sunshine as we’d like. However, on the days that the sun does decide to come out it’s important to go outside and get some Vitamin D. By spending 10 minutes outside and breathing in the fresh air this can raise oxygen levels in the brain which therefore boost serotonin production. Some of my favourite ways to get my daily dose of Vitamin D are:
Going for a morning walk with friends
Having my lunch outside
Opening the windows
Weekly trips to the beach
This trip was exactly what I needed to reset for Winter and for the first time I feel so at ease entering Winter with a whole new form of creativity and inspiration. Everyone is different and what works for one person may not work for another so find what grounds you during these colder months and invest time in doing more of these things.
