I am definitely someone whose mood tends to be in correlation with the weather. Despite all of my positive intentions I can feel my mood slipping once those nights start drawing in. There is no denying it, grey days leave me feeling decidedly well, grey. Rainy days leave me feeling morose and windy days can cause me to feel frustrated and anxious. Yep, I’m just your regular walking weather vane.
Life before the rock
When we lived in Yorkshire, close to Leeds, my life was so frantically busy that I didn’t really have too much time to dwell on my ever so slightly grey mood. Plus, there was always something to see and do. No matter what the weather, you can find an attraction to visit in Leeds; whether it be an art gallery, quirky shop, museum or a cool bar. Now that we live in Jersey I find that I have fewer distractions and as a result I find winter on the island a real struggle.
I might still be busy but I work from home and that in itself can be a lonely existence at times. Combine that with the fact that I now live somewhere very rural and you can see why winter might drag me down a bit. I look out of my window and I don’t see another living soul. Just miles of farmland and then in the very distance is the sea. A beautiful landscape and outlook that I will never take for granted. I love that view and it is always one that I will hungrily drink in. It will always beat my old outlook of Barry and his balls. This time last year, I would have never believed that I would be living here and that this would be my view However, during winter, that view will become a little bleak. Let’s face it, winter isn’t that wonderful, and it can make even the most positive of people feel a little down.
Tackling winter
This time I am tackling winter and island life head-on. I am now well versed in what a winter on the island can be like. Yes, I might still miss having a wealth of art galleries and museums, but there are still the beaches that can be enjoyed on even the greyest of days. I need to change my thinking. Those days where mist shrouds the island is my cue to hibernate. To enjoy the peace and tranquillity. Those days when it is pouring down with rain is my cue to feel smug. I don’t have to make the long commute into work. I can work from home in my PJs with a mug of hot chocolate.
I am determined to embrace the Hygge this year. I will be lighting the candles as soon as the sun sets, I will spend my evenings snuggled on the settee in front of Netflix, I will be trying to work less in the evening and I will also be curbing my social media use. Looking at computer screens and phone screens isn’t good at the best of times, but during winter I can feel my eyes straining even more. It’s this time of year when I tend to feel most tired. I feel as if I have spent most of my adult life complaining of tiredness, but the encroaching darkness over the last couple of weeks has definitely caused my tiredness to ramp up a notch. So, already I’ve been listening to my body and I’ve been getting an early night, reading a book in bed or listening to a podcast.
Embracing island life
Winter can feel hard on Jersey because you can feel cut off from the rest of the world. Those days when the rain and mist seems to stretch on forever can lead you to question whether civilisation still exists out there. This time I am determined to accept the mouldy days, I am going to embrace island life and slow down. I’m going to look after myself better. I’m going to recognise how I am feeling. I’m also going to make sure I exercise, whether I want to or not. You know what they say, healthy body, healthy mind.
Do you have any tips for surviving winter?
I think we’re similar in that I hate the low light levels and short days of winter. I seem to stumble through it every year, but I do keep thinking that maybe if I focused more on myself (and like you say, looking after yourself), the winter days won’t look so bleak.