It’s that time of year again—Daylight Saving Time creeps up, the days get shorter, and the nights feel like they stretch on forever. The cold starts to keep us indoors more often. Even if you don’t deal with seasonal depression, you probably feel it. Energy dips, motivation fades, and most of us slip into some form of human hibernation—especially with the comfort food that rolls out for the holidays.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all bad. But if we’re going to make it through the winter and holiday season with our sanity intact, we’ve got to be intentional about keeping the darkness from settling too deep.

 

First: Appreciate the Little Things

 

This one has never come easy for me. My brain tends to be a constant frown, whispering sweet nothings about how everything sucks or just doesn’t matter. But I’ve been trying to fight back against that grimace lately. And honestly? I’ve been loving the Halloween decorations around my neighborhood—little plastic spiders, fake cobwebs, jack-o’-lanterns glowing on porches. Even the scent of an autumn candle wafting through the room when I walk in. That stuff matters.

It’s easy to get caught up in the chaos, in the “important” stuff, and forget how grounding it can be to notice and appreciate the small joys.

 

Second: Make Some Damn Plans

 

This is the time of year to start putting things on the calendar. When the weather turns and there’s not much else to do but sit around and talk, why not talk about something exciting?

Too often, I ask people what they’ve got coming up, and they either rattle off a list of stressors or say they’ve got nothing planned. And look—I get it. I love being impulsive (maybe a little too much), but having something to look forward to? It can shift everything.

Plan a quick trip for January or February, when the cold hits hardest. Even if you don’t end up going, just talking about it with your friends or partner gives your brain something to smile about. Same goes for little weekend plans—pumpkin patches, sledding, hot cocoa, cider with a splash of whiskey if that’s your thing.

 

Lastly: Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable

 

When I look back on the best times of my life, almost every single one came after doing something I didn’t really want to do at first. Just because it’s cold doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go for that walk. I know you’ve got a coat—and boots too. But when the temperature drops, it becomes way too easy to isolate ourselves.

We come up with a million reasons not to go out:

-“It probably won’t be that fun.”
-“We’ve already stayed in the last four weekends and rewatched that show for the tenth time.”
-“What if I catch a cold?”

I’ve used all those excuses myself. And sure, sometimes it’s nice to just chill on the couch. But you’re not a bear. Or a squirrel. You don’t need to hibernate or hide from everything that could maybe, possibly go wrong—because what if it goes right?