'Tis the Season to Keep Our Spirits Bright!
- Michelle Montezon Halaska
- Nov 26, 2018
- 5 min read
‘Tis the start of the season where most of us are still acclimating to the fall back (thanks daylight savings!) while gearing up for the holidays. How do we keep spirits bright?
I have a few tricks up my sleeve that seem to work for me:
Trick #1: Light it up, literally!
Work with lighting - put certain accent lights on a timer, so it’s as if someone is doing this for you. Salt lamps are in vogue and very are easy to find. You can easily purchase them on Amazon.com, or at stores like Target and TJMaxx. Salt lamps offer affordable lighting with a soft warm glow – and as an added bonus “the pink salt is thought to release negative ions into your space, which would be able to get rid of dust particles that may affect your health.” Which means improving allergies and even air quality of the rooms they are used in. For more on how to pick a Himalayan pink salt lamp, click here.
Trick #2: Lighting candles
Ah, yes. There is nothing like that flickering light, it seems to dance lightly on your psyche and lull you into the sublime. If you’re local to Chicago look for a new favorite scented candle at local artisan shops like Hazel or Neighborly in Lincoln Square, or grab some mason jars and make your own DIY soy wax candles this holiday season - which you can infused with essential oils. For a tutorial on how to make a cinnamon-scented candle - like the one in the photo - click here.
Not big into lighting candles at home, consider having a battery operated candle on a timer, they’re a warming reminder to get cozy!
Trick #3: String ‘em up!
Putting lights outside extends your indoors, opening your living space. Whether you choose to hang holiday-inspired lights, or bistro-style stringed bulbs - adding softer outdoor lighting to your backyard, patio or porch is a lovely way to set a mood year-round!
Trick #4: Work with aromas
Keeping a chicken or veggie stock brewing on low heat in a crock pot for a couple hours fills the air with home-cooked goodness. Fire up the oven and roast some beets, garlic and sweet potatoes. These root veggies give warming aromas and supply you with delicious and nutritious food to eat throughout your week.
Trader Joe’s has an amazing Candy Cane green tea that cools the soul through it’s taste and aroma. This is a must-have in my household, especially during the chilly winter months.
Considering bring evergreens into your living space. Not only will the aromas remind you of walks in the woods, you’ll also bring the healing color of green inside. Not one for vacuuming up needles? No problem! Treat yourself to a spruce or cedar tree soy candle to bring the scent of the outdoors inside.
If you want to get serious, invest in an aromatherapy diffuser and experiment with essential oils. I suggest starting with an aroma that inspires a sense of calm, like Lavender, Eucalyptus or Sage.
There are so many essential oils to choose from, but I trust Young Living essential oils for their “seed to seal” purity and medicinal properties.
Trick # 5: Work with sounds
Instrumental music won’t compete with the words in your head, or trip you up if your having a conversation with someone. I like to put classical music to study by during the day, or nature sounds and Bill Evans in the evening. YouTube.com even has a 10-hour fireplace video with soothing crackling sounds and a warm flickering light, and I like to put that on when I’m social media-ing or reading.
Trick #6: Follow nature’s queues
Follow nature’s queues, allow yourself to sleep a little more and do a little less...this bit could keep you healthy through the season, too. Listen to your body when it needs the rest it’s craving. It can be very liberating not to say “Yes” to everything. In fact, saying “No” and not overbooking yourself during the holidays can be very rewarding!
Trick #7: Bring holiday joy and brightness to others
Go out and bring joy to someone in your life. Consider visiting an elderly person - such as a neighbor, relative or friend. Make a coffee-date with an uncared after caregiver, or anybody really! The winter months can be very lonely-feeling, especially for those with less mobility or those who have trouble getting out in the cold and snow.
Trick #8: Visit places with “lagom” and “hygge”!
Find not-to-crowded coffee shops, restaurants, or bars that have that cozy factor of a fireplace, or warm lighting. The Swedish have a word "lagom," which means "not too little and not too much" and that is the perfect way to describe a balanced, cozy spot to enjoy! The Danish have an obsession with “hygge” translating also to “coziness.” Meet up with friends, or bring your journal to do some writing, while ordering up a warm-and-fuzzy beverage like a spiced apple cider or whiskey hot toddy!
Here's a list of Chicago's best fireplace spots: https://www.tripsavvy.com/chicago-spots-to-enjoy-a-fireplace-4110327
Trick #9: Feeling less than bright? Ask yourself this question
Diminish stresses by asking yourself, “who’s to know a hundred years from now?” This is something my mother would say that seems to work for me. When I find myself in a less than bright mood it’s good to remember the gratitudes. If something is bothering you this moment, or even your entire day –will it matter 100 years from now? Probably not.
Practice being in the present, it’s a great place to BE. Worries generate out of the past or future, so why not lighten that.
Trick #10: Fresh flowers
Bring in some fresh flowers. It’s one of the simplest tricks to brightening your frame of mind. Flowers add nature to any setting, and those little flower faces just seem to smile back at you. :)
Trick #11: Invest in a heated bird bath for your yard or garden
Buy a heated bird bath and marvel at the crimson red cardinals jetting through and the plushy squirrels stopping by for a sip. (Yes, I am in my 50’s, in case this advice didn’t totally give me away.) By providing nature’s creatures with a warm and cozy watering hole, you’ll be provided with some light-hearted enjoyment, too!
Trick #12: Daydream through Pinterest
Scroll through Pinterest at all the beautiful outdoor spaces. Make your own Pinterest boards to inspire your next spring gardening plans, or highlight places you’d like to travel in the upcoming year. I guarantee it will inspire a deep breath, get lost in your imagination, and make for wonderful dreams!
Wow, I guess I have more tricks up my sleeve then I even realized. Strangely, I could keep going, but I want to get this out to you before the season is up!
Add your own specific remedies and tricks to keep yourself uplifted, you might surprise yourself, too!
With warmth and brightness... to your wellness!
Michelle
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