How To Stay Motivated in the Dead of Winter

Winter can be a difficult time for me. I love the snow and the cold, but I also get depressed from the gray days, icy roads, and bare trees. Surrounded by monochrome, it's hard to stay motivated to create and keep making things and be inspired. Here are a few tips for you that have helped me.

• Drink more water. This is a weird one, I guess, but it really does help. I feel like I'm healthier for drinking a lot of water every day - keeps me hydrated and clean-feeling, and usually helps me stay away from snacking. (But not always. Hey, I need a little extra energy now and then!)
• Exercise. You know how you read things like "exercise for 30 minutes a day"? Do it for real - it helps. I started walking every other day and doing yoga every day, and it helps me so much! Gets me off my butt and moving my body around, getting the blood flowing and my heart pumping more oxygen to my brain, so I can come up with more ideas! That's more of a theory than scientific truth, but I like to think of it that way.
• Go for a drive. If you can, that is. If the roads are clear and you need to get out, then get out! Take a road you've never driven before. Stop and look at a building or a field. Visit a coffeeshop and sit for a while. Go to a store. This helps, I promise.
• Cook a new dish. If you enjoy cooking, try a new dish for dinner! I've been wanting to try a garlic butter shrimp recipe that looks wonderful. 
• Learn a new skill. Whether it's watercoloring or sewing a little bag, teach yourself something new. Try Craftsy for lots of craft classes, or Skillshare for improving your design, photography, and writing skills.

I hope these help you beat the winter blues and stay motivated! Enjoy the season for what it is, and live every day to its fullest. Happy Tuesday. :)