This article is dedicated to my sister friend (you know who you are) that asked for tips on fighting the winter blues she is going through. I got you sis!

Believe it or not went to blues is a thing. There are more than 3 million cases of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) – the clinical version of winter blues – per year according to my recent google search. There are several recommended treatments including self-care. Self-care has come up many times in my recent conversations with girlfriends. More like why are we not practicing self-care as we should.

It is easy to make excuses as to why we don’t take care of ourselves. I have a few myself: no time, budget, need to be doing something else, et cetera. But the thing about self-care is that no one can do it for you! You have to make it a priority. Taking better care of ourselves will make us better friends, coworkers, wives, sisters and mothers. Even though we call it self-care, it actually enables you to better care for others when practiced often.

So what is proper self-care look like?

You are a few self-care techniques that may help you fight off your winter blues:

Man that is born of a woman is of a few days, and full of trouble. Job 14:1

Pray Fervently. We serve a God that promised not to leave you nor for sake you. He knows exactly what you’re going through and He’s waiting for you and I to submit our cares to him. We do not have to carry any burden alone and He will never give us a burden that is too much for us to carry. Trust me, these last few months have been a bit rough. I thought I was dealing with my grieving process well. But I looked up and my house was a mess, I gained 20 pounds and I just wasn’t happy. So I prayed harder and realized that I miss my grandmother so much that I was letting it affect everything. I prayed that God would give me more energy, help me get my house in order and help me return to happy. He is doing this just that. So pray my sisters…pray specific prayers to God who is ready to hear them.

Let go. Some of us are so bogged down with worries that we cannot even see straight. And let’s be honest, we worry about things we have no control over. And, if we have no control over such things why are we worrying? Isn’t it because deep down we don’t trust God to do what he is fully capable of doing? Whoa…so really this point should be titled Let Go and Trust God.

Can any of you by worrying out a single hour to your life? Matthew 6:27

So how do we let go and trust God? Refer to my first point, Pray Fervently and then wait for God to do the rest. The key there is that you may have to wait. Not all prayers are answered immediately and with some you will have to do your part. I prayed for energy, so when God gave it to me, I used it to clean my home and run errands that were behind. I also used the energy to get out of the house. When you pray, be ready to receive the answer which may require you to do something.

Have Fun. What is your idea of fun? Do more of that! Get out of the house and into the sun more. I took a recent trip to The Color Factory and it was wonderful. It was a hot day in San Francisco, but it was wonderful. Each room was filled with a different theme and it was like walking into creativity and healing. I’m aiming for the Museum of ice cream next!

I also love to craft. Crafting gets my creative juices flowing and helps me to create more energy to do other things. Since I am a writer, I keep a creative journal as well. This helps me to get out my thoughts and not keep them all bottled up inside. In fact, I keep several notebooks and I use and love them all.

For more tips on creative journaling and scrapbooking visit my YouTube channel.

Confide. When you’re going through a tough time it can seem natural to withdraw even from your friends. Tough times are when you can determine if your friendships are true or not. But, to be fair, you must let your friends know what is going on. Even the best of friends have their own life to live. I have wonderful friends who I do not talk too often because distance has separated us, however they are just a quick text or phone call away if I need something. Never go through something alone when you don’t have to. Speak up! Your friends will be there for you.

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity. Proverbs 17:17

So remember Divas, don’t let the blues consume you! Turn your winter blues to pink by praying fervently, letting go and letting God, having fun, and confiding in your friends.