Curing the Winter Blues

Winter 2021 has been long, repetitive and slow for many of us. With the pandemic still underway, we find ourselves set in a comfortable yet sometimes repetitive routine that has frankly made some of us feel jaded. With outdoor dining unavailable for most of us living in colder states, we find ourselves coping with the winter blues more strongly than we have in the past. Here are some things that have helped us stay mentally healthy over the last few weeks.

1)Disconnecting from Screens: While we have all been screen addicted before the pandemic, even the small moments of breaks that kept us away from our cell phones or laptops have disappeared. While the urge might be to get right back on to our phones and TVs after a long day at a computer, we realize that conscious moments of breaking away from screens can help our body muscles relax. Some ideas for disconnecting from screens include: cooking, reorganizing old photo albums, adult coloring books (yes it’s a thing), journaling and more.

2)The art of Hygge: Make your space as cozy as possible. This is different for everyone but for us it involves throwing a fuzzy blanket on the couch, lighting a candle, making chai with warm spices like cinnamon and cloves, and putting on the netflix fireplace :).

3)Take Walks Outside: Even when it’s freezing outside, fresh air is important and necessary every single day. While it may be cold, rainy, slushy, snowy outside, the cold weather will be great for your mood and walking back into a warm house will feel even better.

4)Plan Your Next Trip: While we do not promote traveling right now, we shouldn’t let the pandemic stop us from dreaming and planning!  When it is safe to do so, jot out a 5 year plan of everywhere that you want to travel to.  Make a list of where you want to travel to by yourself, with your partner, with your extended family, and with your friends.  List out specific locations, time frames and budget required.  The Boston Chai Party team is already planning our next trip to India to visit our family and friends and re-visit our tea farm partners in Assam. When you realize you have a lot more to look forward to, the next few weeks might fly by.

How are you beating the winter blues?  Have we missed anything?  Email us at chai@sahilp12.sg-host.com to share how you’ve been spending your time.