How to survive the Winter… part II

You may have noticed I have changed the title of this article, from the enthusiastic “Good living in the Winter months part I” to “How to survive the winter…” part II…yep. Survive. 

I just had one of those disaster winter mornings. Woke up in darkness -for the fifth day in a row-, drama with my 16 year old, who is looking pale and exhausted and who forgot her art examination work at home. I put my thick coat over my stripy red and white  pyjamas, fluffy snow boots, and rushed like a super mum in the car to bring the art work to her school. On the way, I fought with other drivers and frustrated over the traffic lights. All red of course.

My belly was twisted and empty, paining for my morning tea.I had a client at 9:30am. I say I had because at this point it was a thing of the past. Luckily, my client was sweet enough to understand my problems…she has a teenage daughter too.

The receptionist at the school asked me if I was ok…of course I was ok! why did she ask?. Could it be because of the stripy read and white Pj’s showing through the bottom of my coat? My coat, which was covered in white paint from my daughter’s work? My also pale and exhausted face, hair all over the place and oh no…my hands totally yellow from the fresh turmeric I grated last night?? or was it my winter, “I am just surviving” look. When I got back to the car, it wouldn’t start. We had a problem with the battery and I forgot not to leave the emergency lights on. Which of course I did.

After 15 mins of waiting inside the car the surviving look had turned into “I am in my last moments” look, specially when the driver of a van from the construction site in front of me was impatiently -and rightly so- hooting at me to get out of the way, while the workers shook their heads annoyed and  in disapproval for having illegally parked at their entrance.

I am somehow sure that if all this would have happened during a sunny morning with the birds singing, I wouldn’t have felt so defeated. After all, nothing bad really happened!! so why do I feel as if I just want to crawl under the duvet and wake up at Spring time?

It is called Winter tiredness. And yes, you have to survive it. Just go through it. 

Instead of going back into bed and give up, I went straight to the kitchen and made myself a hearty breakfast of cooked quinoa, fresh spinach, fried leeks and extra virgin olive oil and fresh lime. I drank a whole pot of the best English Breakfast tea I’ve had for ages -or at least that is what it seemed to me-, and read the gossip news on my lap top. Nothing serious, just pure gossip. I resisted the chocolate cookies because I know that if I “treat” myself to something sugary I am actually going to feel worse afterward, so no way.

Then I scrubbed myself and exfoliated from yellow fingers to toes with some interesting pot of mud that I found at the back of my bathroom cupboard and, I did 10 minutes of Ayurveda self massage with Rosehip oil, which I also found in the cupboard. As I had cancelled my client, I had time to take care of myself!!.

Self manicure, pedicure, music and another cup of tea.

And, I even have 20 mins to write this article.

I hope I can reschedule my client and I have a fairly good day ahead. Before my next client comes I will do some stretches and I have planned a space in my schedule to catch up with some admin which is at the back of my mind. Tonight, I will watch a happy movie curled up on the sofa, and I might even have a glass a wine.

I am just surviving the winter. I know it is hard, but as long as I don’t destroy myself on top of it, I will make it. I hope you make it too. 

See you in the Spring.