The winter months, along with the cold and dark days, offer
the opportunity to add a little more calmness and inner depth to our lives.
However, this can also mean spending more time at home and sometimes being
exposed to quite intense negative news. Especially during this period we are
going through, when we hear a lot of uncertainties and worrying news, taking
our own responsibility and developing a few simple habits to have a healthier,
more peaceful and happier winter can transform our daily lives.
Here are 9 habits that will make your life more enjoyable
during the winter and the yogic expansions of some of them…
1. Create a Vision for This Season and Set Some Goals That
Will Guide Your Life
While living our lives focused on staying in the moment,
setting short-term or long-term goals and adding a different meaning to them
can also be valuable for these months. We can briefly call these goals visions;
they can be in our hands like a map that guides us in different areas such as
work, relationships, health, spiritual development and personal growth
throughout the winter. No matter how long your vision is, or maybe a month,
taking continuous steps towards it gives direction to our lives. On the contrary,
not having a vision at all can cause our energy to be diverted and distance us
from the goals that we feel will make us happy, and in the long run, it can
only waste time.
If you have completed a portion of your vision, you can use
this transition period to do things that you love and that give you passion:
engage in hobbies, meet new people, travel. On days when you feel lost,
refocusing on your vision will improve the overall quality of your life.
2. Control Your Breath and Discover Its Power
Breath is one of the most powerful tools for calmness and inner peace.
When you feel stressed or anxious, taking deep breaths relaxes you by balancing your nervous system. Knowing how to breathe allows you to con rol your body and mind. By doing regular breathing exercises, you can use your energy more efficiently and feel more peaceful. The simplest breathing exercise is to take long, deep breaths and exhale more slowly and for longer periods. Breathing and meditation are the cheapest and most scientifically proven methods of relaxing the mind. As the person who wrote these articles, I have been using breathing and meditation regularly in my own trainings and private life for years. In yoga philosophy, the power of breath is associated with Prana, or life energy.
3. Focus on Gratitude
Finding something to be grateful for every day, even every
moment, creates a positive perspective in our lives. Gratitude both improves
our mental health and reduces stress. This habit helps you appreciate all the
small and big beauties in your life and allows you to live a more peaceful
life. When you start or end your day, when you sit down to eat or when you get
up, just saying ‘thank you for everything’ is enough. Gratitude is also linked
to the concept of ‘santosha’ (self-satisfaction) in yoga practice.
4. Move Your Body
Movement benefits your mind as much as your body. Exercising
several times a week not only improves your physical health, but also boosts
your mood. Being inactive for long periods of time can lead to physical
weakness and mental fog. Regular exercise allows you to live a stronger, more
energetic and healthier life. Now all scientists and experts from all branches
say the same thing, physical movement ensures regular hormone function and
makes you feel happier. Being inactive for two weeks can weaken your self-confidence
and weaken your body. When your body is not cleansed, you cannot achieve the
clarity necessary for your mental health. Ask yourself what your body needs
regularly and find a way to include it in your life. For example, I, who
constantly does yoga, go to dance classes every other day these days, I feel
that my body needs more fluid movement. This can sometimes be boxing or karate.
Find what is right for you and integrate it into your life.
In yoga philosophy, “tapas” (discipline and determination) is one of the most important principles of personal development. Tapas is continuing to achieve your goals with discipline and determination even when faced with difficulties. Adopting this principle in your life and moving forward with patience and dedication gives you great strength and inner motivation. The path to success passes through every step taken with
determination, and we can apply this to our physical practices.
5. Try to Stay Positive When You Face Challenges
Life may not always go the way we want it to, but getting
stuck in negative thoughts does us no good. Staying away from negative news and
advertisements can be one of the most important steps for your mental health.
Instead of getting lost in negativity, try to stay solution-oriented and
positive. Removing negative energy from your life makes you stronger in every
situation.
Negativity also harms the people around you and prevents you
from being your best self. The more you focus on negative energy, the more you
drain your personal energy.
Make it a habit to ask yourself this question: Is this negative energy helping me or those around me?
This change requires developing awareness, and it may be difficult to maintain at first, but it is one of the most important factors in attracting positive and desired things into our lives.
In yogic philosophy, the principle of “ahimsa” (non-harming) is very important for finding inner peace even in difficult times.
Ahimsa means not harming not only others but also yourself. In other words, the amount of negative news we expose ourselves to is directly proportional to the compassion we have for ourselves.
Approaching difficulties with love and understanding instead of getting caught up in negative emotions makes every moment of life more meaningful. This is the way to maintain inner peace and remain calm despite the chaos in the outside world.
6. Forcing Yourself To Please Others Can Lead To Long-Term
Unhappiness. Set Your Personal Boundaries Before You Wear Yourself Out.
Knowing when to say “no” helps you maintain your mental and
emotional health. Your boundaries allow you to serve others in a healthy way.
More important than others loving you is loving ourselves and being aware of
when we are disappointing ourselves.
7. Eat Clean and Healthy
The foods you eat directly affect your mood, energy levels,
and frequency. Eating clean and healthy strengthens your body while providing
mental clarity and peace. Eating natural foods, researching and consuming
superfoods such as avocado, salmon, walnuts, and blueberries will help you get
the nutrients your body and mind need. It is now a scientific fact that even
small amounts of alcohol can shrink the gray area in your brain.
8. Sleep Well
Quality sleep is vital to your physical and mental health.
Take advantage of the long nights of winter to improve your sleep patterns.
Creating a good sleep environment will help you be more energetic and focused
throughout the day. Creating a sleep routine and adjusting your sleep
environment accordingly will help you have a more peaceful night. Take care to
keep your sleep regular so that your body can function healthily mentally,
emotionally and emotionally.
9. Stay Connected To Nature
Make it a habit to take a long, slow walk in the forest once a week.
As I am finishing this article here, I am sharing my Instagram page where we offer programs that support our self-development and inner transformation throughout the winter:
You can follow me on Instagram under the name Burcukutluk. We hold meetings titled Children Of The Earth where many activities in the field of yogic and wellness are offered. In February and March, we have inner transformation trips in Bali and Thailand with experts. We contribute to our lives in a renewed and focused way.
With all my love…
