Seize the Season: Week Two
Welcome to week two of Seize the Season! This week our guest author, Dr. Amanda Hardy, helps ready our minds for winter. As someone who has suffered from Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), I found her suggestions and insight incredibly helpful. We hope you do too. This week’s meditation brought to you by Reanna Spain of Sisterhood Soup compliments Amanda’s piece perfectly. I hope you are able to carve out some time to treat yourself to this beautiful meditation and feel surrounded by warmth.
Our week two prize is the DOT menstrual cup donated by Ciji with Recycle Me Iowa. We LOVE menstrual cups for so many reasons: they’re waste free, they work well while camping and exploring, and they’re safe to use! Bonus that the DOT cup was designed by an Iowa native! If you want a chance to win this rad prize, all you have to do is share with us how you’re seizing the season. Use #WanderWomenSeizeTheSeason on Facebook or Instagram to share! Thanks again to Monika from Sweet Tooth Farm for donating last week’s prize of two spots in bread baking class.
Readying Your Mind for Winter
By Amanda Hardy, PhD, LMHC
Let’s talk about seasonal depression. Fun, I know! According to a Psychology Today report approximately 10 million Americans experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Whether or not someone meets the criteria to be diagnosed with SAD, it’s not uncommon to hear someone say, “I get depressed in the winter.” In short, feeling low or experiencing depressed mood in the colder months is extremely common.
According to The National Institute for Mental Health (NIH), Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that comes and goes with the seasons. It typically starts in the late fall and early winter and lasts until the spring and summer months. Depressive episodes linked to the summer can occur, but are much less common than winter episodes of SAD. It is actually NOT considered a separate disorder from major depressive disorder, but rather a type of depression with a recurring seasonal pattern. Interestingly, SAD is four times more common in women than in men.
One of the most common explanations for the onset of SAD is the reduction of light in our lives. No, that’s not a metaphor. The darkness depresses us. Well, kind of. What this explanation is really pointing to is our circadian rhythm. Simply, the natural light and dark cycles of a 24 hour day and the seasons. All living things are tuned into this natural cycle. Perhaps you’ve heard the expression, “internal clock.” That’s an easy way to think about our circadian rhythm – our natural clock. Our physiological processes are synced up with these cycles. This is the same process that tells a bear it’s time to hibernate. It’s the same cycle that makes you feel ready to crash at 9pm and wake at 5am when you’re camping – rising and setting with the sun!
“Our world keeps racing at the same pace it always has, despite the changing of the seasons. I believe that understanding this is a key to tending to our mental health during the winter months. ”
Here’s the complication: our modern world can really throw us off this natural rhythm. We are constantly exposed to artificial light and schedules that can leave many of us a little out of touch with our natural ebb and flow of sleep and wake cycles. This is disruptive, in the simplest sense. For the most part, many of us function quite well this way, though some may have a sense that we’re “off” or could use a “reset” every once in a while. Further, our brains didn’t just arrive in this 21st century world, nope. Our brain is the product of millennia of evolution carefully attuned and wired to these natural cycles. Just a few generations ago (pre-industrial revolution), after the harvest season was complete we readied ourselves for cooler darker days spent by a fire. Winter was time to hunker down and slow your roll. This isn’t the case anymore. Our world keeps racing at the same pace it always has, despite the changing of the seasons. I believe that understanding this is a key to tending to our mental health during the winter months.
With this background in mind, here are some suggestions* for addressing your mental health during the winter months, in no particular order:
Actually slow down. Embrace the notion that your body might be telling you to slow down and that it’s our world that’s telling you to keep moving at the same go-go-go pace. Recognize where this push-pull might be present for you and assess ways you can create your own – more modern – natural ebb and flow pace.
Cozy up. Bring on the hygge items! Hygge (hoo-gah) is a Danish word that can roughly be translated as “comfort” or “coziness.” Having spent a lot of time in Denmark, I’ll spare you a diatribe about how this is a bit of a misunderstanding. For our purposes here, let’s go with it. Make yourself a “cozy kit.” Gather up your favorite fluffy blankets, warm candles (or a fire in the fireplace), fuzzy socks, and yummy tea, good books, board games, and anything else that makes you feel warm and fuzzy (literally and figuratively) and look forward to the cool days to come.
Turn inward. Autumn’s dispersed seeds are absorbed into the earth and lie dormant in the winter months ready for rebirth in the warm fresh light of spring. Are there ideas or projects or personal areas of growth that you can “bring inside” you during the winter in a similar way to these seeds? Meaning, how can you set aside these slower winter months to be your time to focusing on your inner light and this deeper personal work?
Connect with nature. You had to know this one was coming! Bottom line is, we know that nature can offer numerous benefits for our mental health. This is no less true in winter. Having house plants and tending to their needs (maybe move them to a sunnier spot) can help you connect. Open your windows and move your “cozy kit” (see tip #2) to a spot where you can look outside and bask in the sunlight can connect you. When you look outside, find ways to see the beauty in a crisp winter sky, freshly fallen snow, or a cardinal visiting your yard. Heck, you can even bundle up and actually go outside!
Create a winter mantra. A mantra is like a personal slogan you can repeat to yourself. Usually these are short, sweet, and easy to get back to when needed. I like to remind myself that I enjoy living where there are four clear seasons or that winter is healthy and good for all earth’s animals and plants. Sometimes, I say, “I love the winter.” It might not always feel true, but it helps me remember my intention to not hate on winter. Other times, it might be something like, “I don’t want to wish away this day.” You can make up your own mantras about anything. The trick is they have to work for YOU. What are you trying to work on? Making a mantra t fit to that. Short, sweet, easy to remember!
Plan a getaway. February is the worst of the winter months. Okay, maybe it’s just me, but I’m absolutely convinced the “February funk” is a bonafide thing. This is why I decide that, if I’m able, I take my break from winter in February. The truth is, if you’re really struggling, sometimes you need to take a break. You might not be able to jet set all the way to the Caribbean, but even a little break from the day to day and from a winter that’s getting you down can do wonders to boost your mood and buoy your mental health. A cabin getaway in Iowa is a great getaway plan!
Socialize. Don’t let winter keep you from your people (unless, that’s part of your plan for #1). Plan to gather. Plan a solstice party. Plan a Galantine’s day tea party (complete with pajamas)! When you do gather do so in ways that bring out the cuddly coziness you’re embracing this season. Consider including the board games, candles, or other low-key elements that make you feel slow and at ease.
Light therapy. Many people find relief from SAD or the winter blues by sitting under or near a light therapy lamp. It’s a special light (there are several on the market) designed to mimic natural rays. If you don’t want to purchase a lamp, you can certainly be more intentional about sitting by a south-facing window, spending an extra few minutes letting the sun actually hit your skin when you’re outside (perhaps remove that scarf for just a second), or simply keeping the curtains open in the house can help you catch some rays.
Exercise. Staying active in the winter is a great way to keep on top of your mental health. We know that exercise releases endorphins, which can help lower stress and boost mood. Also, not gaining that “winter weight” is sure to help you feeling better when spring does roll around.
Watch the sweets. I know, what a suggestion. It’s sweets and treats season. And isn’t that part of my cozy kit? Bear with me. You don’t have to ditch all the sugar, but some studies have demonstrated that an increase in sugar intake (which we know can be abundant this time of year) is associated with lowered ability to manage stress and anxiety and low mood. Sipping on hot herbal tea is a great way to suppress those sweet cravings.
* These suggestions are not an exclusive or exhaustive list and, most of all, are NOT a replacement for clinical care. If you are struggling, please consult with a professional provider or reach out to friends and family for help.
Get Outside This Week
Local outdoor activities and ideas to get you outside!
OUTDOOR ACTIVITY IDEAS
Each week we’ll give you five ideas to get you outside and moving, even in the colder temperatures.
Go for a walk and take photos of five things that catch your eye. Share your photos with us by using #WanderWomenSeizeTheSeason
Find the nearest body of water (lake, pond, river) and go for a walk around it.
Go for a sunrise walk. You can find the exact time of sunrise here.
Create bird food garland to hang on your trees.
Go for a hike at Walnut Woods State Park, or the state park closest to you.
WEEKLY EVENTS
We scoured the local events calendars to find some great outdoor, outdoor-themed, and winter wellness activities. If we missed something, send us an e-mail at hello@wanderwomeniowa.com and we’ll add it to the calendar!
December 11:
Easter Lake Invasive Species Removal at Easter Lake Park
December 13:
Hike ant Hot Cocoa at Jester Park
Winter Farmer’s Market at Hy-Vee Hall
Full Moon Yoga: Winter Hike & Warming Practice at Indian Creek Nature Center (Cedar Rapids)
December 14:
Decorate a Tree for Wildlife at Jester Park
Star Party at Birdland Park
Wreaths Across America at Woodland Cemetery
Winter Warriors at Fleet Feet
Forest Therapy Walk at Annett Nature Center
December 15:
Immunity Building Workshop at Sacred Health
Soul-Filling
Weekly Journal Prompt & Meditation
Every week we will provide you with a weekly meditation or reading and a journal prompt designed to help you slow down and get in touch with yourself during these colder winter months. Prepare a cup of tea, grab a cozy blanket, get your journal, and settle in for some soul-filling time. Take a moment to to take a few long, slow, and deep breaths before beginning. Release tension in your jaw, neck, and back. Give yourself permission to relax.
This week’s mediation and journal prompts are brought to you by the wonderful women of Sisterhood Soup, Reanna and Jessica. Sisterhood Soup is born out of a passion and gift for holding space for women to be vulnerable and accepted exactly as they are.
Try to carve out some time, preferably in the morning, to listen to this beautiful warmth meditation. Brew a cup of tea, grab a cozy blanket, and get comfortable. You deserve this.
This week’s journal prompts are provided by Jessica of Sisterhood Soup.
Sometimes, we fall victim to defining our success (and worth) based off the ideas of people in our lives that we respect. This can be a really motivating reality, or one that slowly takes you farther and farther away from your own inherent magic. One trick to tapping back into the truest version of yourself is asking, “How do I want to be remembered?.” We each have an opportunity to create our legacy. What do you want yours to be?
There is an old story about a sculptor carving a large piece of stone. A man stopped and asked, “what are you creating?” The sculptor said, “an elephant.” The man looked puzzled and said, “how will you ever be able to make an elephant out of that giant rock?” The man smiled and said, “I will just take away all the pieces that don’t look like an elephant.” What if we all approached living our best lives like this sculptor? When you envision your dream life, what pieces of your current circumstances would you need to carve out or shape?
Weekly Winter Wellness
Seasonal recipes and wellness tips
Beth from Nourished DSM will be providing us with weekly seasonal recipes that taste good and nourish our bodies. Beth is passionate about nourishing her community with beautiful food. You can find out more by emailing her at nourished.dsm@gmail.com or following her on IG at @nourished.dsm
Beth’s Quiche
I began making quiche over seven years ago. It’s one of my favorite dishes because there are endless possibilities with it, and it makes a great dish to take to a new mom, a sick friend, or a family going through a tough time. It is still my go to dish for friends and family. I hope you enjoy! Remember to have fun and be creative! Quiches freeze well, too, so you can make a few at a time if you’d like.
There are 4 steps to a quiche:
1. The Crust
Begin by preheating the oven to 350.
If you love making your own crust I say go for it! I usually do not have that kind of time so I opt for store bought. Trader Joe’s has an amazing pie crust that I love. It absolutely tastes homemade. Buttery and crisp. (They also carry a gluten free crust .)
Let the dough sit until it is almost room temperature. Using a round glass pie pan, I place the dough in and cut off any dough that is hanging off the sides. You can crinkle the dough along the rim to make it pretty, and it helps keep all the liquid inside once you put the egg mixture in. Next, par-bake the crust for 10 minutes and then let it sit on the counter to cool.
2. Cheese
I always use cream cheese and shredded cheese. Once the crust is cooled, I thinly slice the cream cheese and lay it in the bottom of the quiche. I usually use about 8 slices of cream cheese and lay them in a way so each person would get a slice in their piece of quiche. I then use a mixture of shredded Gruyere (which I grab from Aldi) and Parmesan or Cheddar...depends on what I have on hand. Be creative!
3. The Bits
This is the “stuff”. The heart of the quiche. This is the best part! My go too is usually caramelized onions and chicken sausage. I have also made a smoked salmon and dill that was delicious. Broccoli, peppers, onions, tomatoes, spinach, etc... The options are endless! I usually use a lot of “stuff” in my quiches. It will almost fill the remainder of the pie pan. Make sure to cool slightly before you place on top of the cheese.
4.Custard
I beat 4 eggs, with 1.25 cups of whole milk or half & half. I season the custard with 2 tbsp Spike seasoning and pepper. If you don’t know what Spike is, it is an amazing seasoning that needs to be in your cupboard. Pour mixture over the bits.
Now onto baking! Place quiche in 350 oven for 50-60 min until done. I let the quiche rest while I make a pot of coffee, then slice it and serve.
There ya have it!! I hope you all enjoy this recipe!
Animal Messages
Weekly messages from our animal friends brought to you by Kara Simons of Joyful Resonance
This week Kara is delivering us a message from our friend the rat. I also want to take a moment to let you know that Kara recently published a beautiful poetry book, Soulshine: Poetry for Awakening in partnership with Kara Vorwald Photography. You can purchase the book here.
Rats have gotten a bad rap! We use their name as slang for cheaters and liars, revile them as dirty, and expressly exclude them from basic legal protections afforded to other research animals (insufficient to begin with). They don’t deserve it. For one thing, the primary spread of Bubonic plague was fleas, not rats. It only takes an open mind and a few minutes to discover they are actually wonderfully intelligent, emotionally-evolved, and warm, little creatures. Companionship, affection, and grooming are all important to them. They are highly social and exhibit many of the same empathetic behaviors we readily celebrate in other animals.
It’s easy to shut out people and ideas that challenge familiar beliefs and highlight cracks in the stories we’ve long and comfortably told ourselves. This week, Rat shows up with a simple plea: BE OPEN. Not that long ago, winter survival was a group effort. Yes, modern conveniences now protect most of us from the weather, but they don’t nurture our need for emotional and social connection. As humans, we are hard-wired for community. Who can you invite in from the cold?
Rat says: “I’m not asking to come live in your house. Boundaries are good and important, and I honor yours. I’m asking you to be open to giving and receiving more love, even if it means shedding old ideas. That’s what will keep you warm.”