Set yourself a mini-challenge
It doesn’t need to be big, just something you’re excited about achieving. You might pick up an old hobby that you’ve long since forgotten about or perhaps try something brand new – it’s completely up to you!
Five ways to look after your wellbeing this winter
Guy Edwards/2020VISION
It’s cold, the days are shorter and there is still so much uncertainty in the world. Whilst a winter hibernation may seem tempting, it’s so important to keep going. Here are five little ways to help keep your spirits lifted this season.
Need some inspiration? Here are some of our suggestions:
- Get those steps in. You might want to challenge yourself to walk a certain number of steps or perhaps you just want to make sure you get outside for a quick lunchtime walk every day for a week. You might even challenge yourself to discover a new local walking route or take some inspiration from adventurer and author, Alistair Humphreys, who is challenging himself to explore a single OS map.
- Record wildlife on iNaturalist . And to make it more of a challenge, why not set yourself a specific target? Can you record 10 new species a day, every day for a week? Or submit 1,000 new records in a month? Get your friends and family involved too and see who can come out on top this winter.
- Learn a new craft. We particularly loved this bat origami that our Myplace team have been making recently.
Reflect on the positives
It can be easy to forget the little things that make you smile, but taking a little time to reflect on the positives can be so uplifting. You could keep it simple, jotting down three things that you are grateful for on a bit of paper, or you could get a bit more creative and start your own journal. The Natural History Museum has some great tips for starting your own nature journal project which you can fill with observations, drawings and photos.
Slow things down
Take a leaf out of nature’s book - it’s completely understandable to slow things down a bit in winter, try not to put too much pressure on yourself. Instead, why not use the time to rest and re-set, get lost in a good book, pick up a new craft or take notice of the nature around you?
To help you relax, why not make your own sensory potpourri?
Give back to wildlife
We all know how important our local wildlife has been for us this year. And just as we may be finding winter particularly difficult, so too might our wild friends.
Helping others has been proven to boost our own wellbeing and what a great way to say thank you to nature for standing by our side.
Here are a few tips for looking after wildlife this winter:
- Leave the hedges and leaf piles for insects, frogs, toads and hedgehogs to stay safe and warm.
- Keep fresh water and food available for birds and other creatures to enjoy.
- Be extra careful when you turn compost heaps as these may be providing shelter for wildlife.
- In late winter, clean out bird boxes so they are ready for new nests next year.
Bring the outside in
Do you remember making nature tables at school? Collecting wildlife treasures and displaying them on your windowsill, or anywhere around your home, can be so uplifting and help you appreciate nature’s intricate beauty. Shells, sea glass, pebbles, feathers and leaves all make great additions and they are really fun to look for during your winter walks.
Will you be giving any of these a go? Perhaps you’ve got some ideas of your own? We’d love to see how you’re looking after your wellbeing this winter - share what you’re up to with us online using the hashtag #GoWildWinter
Did you know...
We run free green wellbeing sessions as part of our Myplace project.