Mindset for the Dark Season

The Dark Days are Here

I love the winter. Snow glistening in the sunlight, snowboarding all day, backcountry adventures with friends followed by hearty winter stews … winter rocks.

Unfortunately, before we get to the good stuff, we need to survive the dark days of November and December. Something inside of me temporarily dies when the sun sets at 4:30 PM every day. The foliage is gone and the branches are bare. There usually isn’t enough snow to ski or snowboard, but biking and climbing season is pretty much over.

It’s easy to get negative around this time and have some seasonal depression. Biologically, the decrease in sunlight can disrupt your body’s internal clock and reduce serotonin levels that can affect your mood. I, for one, definitely get affected by this and in this blog I wanted to share what I call my “dark days mindset”- an attempt to combat the gloom that comes with these inevitable dreary months.

Be Realistic

The first step is acknowledging that yes it will get dark around 4:30 and there won’t be many outdoor adventures to be had. I used to complain a lot about the lack of sunlight, but now I try to remind myself and others that, this minimal sunlight happens every year and will go away. While I brush my teeth in the morning, I remind myself that it will get dark early today, but I will try my best to not let it impact my mood. This dark time is temporary.

Make a Plan

I try to embrace this time by having some activities planned that I know will keep me busy. I focus more on my pottery, cook fun recipes, spend more time strength training at the gym, and get my personal and holiday shopping out of the way. I try to wake up early to catch as much daylight as possible.

Get Moving

Getting outside for some amount of time is hugely beneficial. Even if it’s cloudy, daylight is good for you.. Even if it’s 10 minutes in the morning before a long day. Getting some sunshine is better than no sunshine!

Make Space for Unwinding

Even though November and December are busy months with the holidays and most folks are busy at work, it is good to remember to give yourself the space to be calm and unwind. We are animals that need to hibernate a bit too. Try to welcome less daylight as an opportunity to give your mind and spirit a chance to do nothing for a change, and get them ready for a fun winter season that starts getting brighter and brighter after December 21st.