There’s gotta be a cure for feeling this way.
It’s cold. Again.
It’s grey. Again.
It’s drizzling rain off and on. Again.
I want to crawl back in to bed for the rest of the day. Again.
I’m considering drinking yet another cup of coffee and carb-laden snack. Again.
It’s the middle of autumn, the leaves have turned and started to fall. We have had some beautiful sunny, warm days that call for a pumpkin spice latte commercial. And now, the days are getting shorter and we haven’t had a lot of sunlight for a week. It can be tough to get your energy up when the weather isn’t inspiring.
There must be a better way… oh wait, there is!
Here is my Ayurvedic recipe for these cold, grey days. In Ayurveda, the thinking is that like attracts like, but opposites heal. So if these grey days make you feel, heavy, cold, dull, dark, sluggish and blahhhhhhhhhhhh, choose things that make you feel warm, light, bright mobile and energetic.
Self- Maintenance: Resist the urge to wear your pjs all day. Wash up and put something on that inspires energy in you. Neon does it for me. And for some reason I have a bit of a love affair with my blow dryer. Makes me feel this, “Ta-da! Okay world I am ready now” feeling.
Stillness: If you’re really sluggish, consciously choose stillness rather than zoning out in front of Instagram for 45 minutes. Try a yoga nidra or yin sequence.
Move: As little as 3 minutes of movement can have a big impact on your day says psychologist Kelly McGonigal in The Joy of Movement.
Brighten up: Turn the lights on! If the day is really grey and uninspiring I will often close the blinds and turn on an extra lamp or two. If you’re staring at a screen, turn the brightness up. Having colour nearby may help too. A bright coloured shirt or potted plant go a long way.
Lighten up: If your body feels physically heavy and sluggish, avoid heavy layers that make it tough to move. Favour light, refreshing food instead of heavy meals. In a more long-term habit, get rid of any junk around the house that is weighing you down! More on that in a later post.
Energize: Throw on some energizing music to get you going.
Tea: This is my go-to, gold star game-changer. I don’t use a recipe, I just sort of throw everything in a mug and pour hot water over it.
Turmeric
Ginger
Cayenne
Black Pepper
Cinnamon
Lemon
I even add pumpkin spice.
This mix creates heat and invigorates the mind and body. I can’t believe how much of a difference it makes. You can also add a bag of green tea. (Forgo the lemon if you want to make it in to a latte or add it to your coffee. )If you really want a recipe check out something like this.
These cool days aren’t going anywhere so it’s best to get in to a routine to be well set up for the months ahead. Resistance doesn’t do much, so let’s find a way to embrace it!
Until next time, namaste 🙂
ZenwithGwen 