Get organized
Nothing stresses me out than not having a game plan. Set yourself up for success this month! A few tools that help me accomplish this? A desktop calendar so I can see the entire month in advance. I write down things like meetings, lunches and conference calls so I don’t overbook (or overwhelm) myself. I love the GSD Master List from Meg Biram - it allows me to categorize the most important projects I’m working on!

Plan a vacation
This is HUGE, you guys. Nothing helps cure the winter blues more than a long weekend in the sun. Around this time of year, flights to Florida can be crazy cheap too. Also getting away to a new destination enables a certain part of your brain to become more active (and THIS is why I’m not a scientist haha!) Plus, the anticipation of going somewhere warm gives us HOPE!! Our body needs that Vitamin D.

While we usually drop off our fur baby at my in-law’s home, I’ve heard awesome things about the Old Towne Pet Resort! Have any of you taken your pets there? You can even watch them on live video cams!! Rates start at $60/night for dogs and $30/night for cats. They even have a spa, grooming area and boot camp for your pets to pamper then while you’re away! (And I thought our pup was spoiled at Mimi’s and Grampy’s!)

Clean out your closet
I’ve mentioned this quite a few times, but I felt like a new person when I went through all my clothing and only kept the things I loved (per Marie Kondo’s advice in “The Life Changing Magic of Tiding Up.” I got rid of about 2/3 of my clothing, which unfortunately, did leave a few gaps that required me to do a little shopping (OOPS!) Of course, since I’ve given up on fast fashion (for the most part), the things I really love and want to invest in are far more expensive.

To try out something before I decide to invest, I love using Rent the Runway. It allows me to give certain trends a trial run before I decide if I should spend the money on a piece. Questions like, “will this edgy jacket become a staple or a one-time wear?” and “Is this designer bag big enough to store the things I need on a daily basis?” won’t be hard to answer when you’ve been given time to try it out! Trying new things on also helps refine your signature look (something I’ve been working on for years and finally feel like I’m figuring out!) Their PRO program is under $30/year and gives you free shipping and insurance on all orders. PLUS you get a free birthday dress! OH AND DID I MENTION that they're is having their clearance sale right now? Best get to it!

Exercise
Getting your endorphins going is going to help with the winter blues more than anything. I focus a couple days a week on strength training and then do cardio for the other few. Although I love running (read: slow jogging), it’s terrible on my knees. Lately, I’ve become OBSESSED with Soul Cycle. This is so embarrassing - but I was totally nervous before my first class. Was I going to pass out in class? Was I even ready for this endeavor? WAS I GOING TO SURVIVE?! All these questions melted away when the instructor starting talking about the experience being different for everyone - that we were there to ride OUR ride. I was surprised at how spiritual the experience was! I felt like not just my body, but also my mind was totally renewed after the class. Call your nearest studio for your first ride free until January 18!

Eat right
I’ve been totally slacking off in this department over the last couple months (totes blaming the holidays) and this week I’m getting back into the swing of clean eating. Most of the time, that means cooking veggies, eating brown rice and getting back in the green smoothie grind. However, I was recently introduced to Sweetgreen (yes, I know, late to the game as usual) and I’m in love!! It always leaves me feeling amazing afterwards and the food is AMAZE. I always get the Harvest Bowl - it has apples, chicken (but I get tofu instead), wild rice, sweet potato, kale and goat cheese. And I get the bread slice on top because calories smalories…worth every bite.

BONUS (YET MANDATORY) TIP

Treat Yo’Self
One thing that easily goes out the window when things get busy around this time of year is taking care of myself. I’m really making an effort to focus on my daily skincare routine and treating myself to little things here and there. Last week, I splurged on the new Olivia Palermo X Ciarte nail polish (you can find it here.) If you’re not great at doing your own nails (I AM LITERALLY THE WORST), I had an awesome experience at Varnish Lane, which is just a short walk from the Friendship Heights metro.

And next week, I’ll be trying out a new service called ZEEL that’s basically like an uber for massages. They come to your house (perfect for the busy girl in all of us) on-demand when you’re in need of a little pampering. You can choose whether you want a girl or guy and what type of massage as well. And the app is super easy to use too and you can get $25 off your first massage with code: BLDC25

Do you guys have any more tips on how to make it through these next few frigid months? Here are a few more ideas I shared last year about how to beat the winter blues.

Images via Jen Eun, myself, Soul Cycle, Sweetgreen

I struggle in the winter. BIG TIME. The holidays are over, the layers are never ending and it’s only the beginning of frigid cold. Say hello to seasonal affective disorder, my friends. Last year was really hard for me. I slept all the time, ate takeout a ton and gained a good ten pounds. Or more. This year, I’m determined to make things better. Here are a few tips that have helped me or that I want to try this year.

1. Take time to appreciate beauty.
This might seem silly, ok. But it’s been helping me a lot over the past month when the temps have dropped below 40 (brr!) I’ll take time to consciously appreciate the sunlight rays coming through the buildings as I walk to work. Or I’ll take note of a beautiful photograph I see on Pinterest. When you start to focus on the positive, the negative doesn’t have much room to squeeze in, now does it?

2. Get some sun.
I’m not saying go tanning (although, confession, I did used to do this in college to help my S.A.D.) - but instead, take a mid-day walk. It doesn’t have to be long. But just enough to give you that bit of vitamin D your body is craving.

3. Take vitamins regularly.
I am the worst at remembering to take vitamins, but it’s essential to our bodies. I usually take Vitamin C, a women’s multivitamin and B12 for energy. This year, I’m going to also try Vitamin D supplements too.

4. Take a vacation to somewhere warm.
I do this every single year. I have to. Even if it’s for a long weekend. JUST DO IT. We usually take our FL vacation sometime at the end of January or February (before the spring break crowds.) For the first day or so, it’s like my soul is unthawing, no joke. But by the end of the trip, I feel like myself again. It’s a beautiful thing.

5. Eat clean.
I saw this tip from my friend Jaclyn on insta the other day. She also deals with the winter blues and is giving clean eating a try. Eating clean basically means eating more of the good stuff and less of the bad stuff (#rocketscience.) Great foods include fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, farm-fresh eggs, while good foods include whole wheat bread and pasta, popcorn, steel-cut oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, frozen fruits and vegetables. I think we all know which foods are bad.

6. Limit caffeine intake.
Let me be clear - I am not condoning skipping your mooring cup of joe because it’s not something I would ever do myself. But if you’re downing a cup in the AM, with lunch, with an afternoon snack and around dinnertime, reign it in just a tad.

7. Exercise.
This is the biggest one, and I’m really talking to myself here. I get so tired after work and my summertime routine of biking after work just isn’t happening in the dark. So I need to work on finding a way to stay fit and keep those endorphins up this season. I’ve recently started taking advantage of my gym at work during my lunch hour and I've felt a huge improvement.

8. Don’t let the sun dictate your schedule.
This was another great tip from Jaclyn. The sun goes down sooo early, and all of a sudden, I’m getting home at like 7, eating at 8, and heading straight to bed around 9. Don’t get me wrong here - I’m a huge proponent of sleep…but you gotta live a little too! Step away from your desire to slumber all winter long and spend a little extra time reading your favorite book one evening. Or grab drinks with a friend after work.

9. Pick up a few cute coats and cold weather essentials.
I’m not saying spend a ton of money here. This one (last seen here) is not only super cute and warm, but it’s also under $80! Pick up some cozy earmuffs and an oversized scarf (love these from Acacia Scarves!) Ever since I started upping my cold-weather fashion game, I’ve felt more apt to leave the house with confidence, knowing that fashion and comfort don’t have to compromise.

10. Focus on a passion or learn something new
I’ve found so much joy this season from reading. I’m not saying I’m the best reader or the fastest reader, but I love it all the same. Last year, I read about 10 books (although The Goldfinch may as well count as 3 books it was so long) and was really proud of making time for myself to indulge in a great story. I have also gotten into calligraphy (I’m taking a class on Skillshare) which has been another fun creative outlet for me. Focus on taking time to do things you enjoy (instead of my default plopping down in front of our TV) and you’ll see a big difference in attitude this season in yourself.

Those are my best tips - do you have any you think I missed? If so, let me know and I’ll add them to the list!