A Gentle Mental Health Reset For a Heavy Season
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
John 1:5
The ground hog saw it's shadow and there are six more weeks of winter. Winter has a way of dimming more than the daylight. The mornings feel heavier. The motivation that flowed easily in other seasons slows down. Joy doesn’t disappear but it takes more effort to access. For many of us, the struggle isn’t dramatic. It’s subtle. You’re still showing up. Still functioning. Still faithful. But underneath it all, there’s a quiet low-grade sadness. A mental fog. A weariness that doesn’t quite lift with prayer alone.
Winter blues don’t mean something is wrong with your faith. It mean you are human, living in a body, under changing light, carrying real responsibilities. Winter blues doesn’t mean you’re losing ground. It means your soul is learning how to rest.
When the days are shorter and your mood follows, it’s tempting to judge yourself: “Why am I so tired?” “Why do I feel unmotivated?” “Why am I not more grateful?” But winter doesn’t require you to perform joy. It invites you to practice care. Mental wellness in winter often looks like maintenance, not momentum.
Gentle Strategies for Fighting Winter Blues (Grace-Based, Not Guilt-Based)
1. Work with the Light You Have: Winter reduces natural sunlight, which affects mood and energy. Open curtains first thing in the morning. Sit near a window during prayer or journaling. Step outside briefly, even on cold days. Light is medicine.
2. Lower the Bar Without Lowering Your Worth: Winter is not the season for unrealistic expectations. Ask yourself, “What is the kindest realistic goal for me today?” Some days that’s movement. Some days it’s rest. Some days both.
3. Anchor Your Mind Before You Scroll: Begin mornings with one anchoring habit before your phone (scripture, prayer, or journaling). This sets the tone before the noise.
4. Move Gently and Consistency Over Intensity: Movement helps mental health, but winter calls for compassion. Short walks. Stretching. Light strength training. Dancing in the kitchen. You don’t need punishment. You need circulation.
5. Create Small Warmth Rituals: Candles during prayer. A favorite blanket during devotion. Weekly pampering. These are not indulgences. They are regulation tools.
6. Reach Out Before Isolation Hardens: Winter can quietly shrink our world. Connection is preventative care. Reach out and text, call, or share a walk with a friend.
Prayer
God of light and seasons, meet me in this quieter place. When my mind feels heavy and my energy low, help me choose care over criticism. Remind me that slowing down is not falling behind. That winter has purpose. And that You are just as present in dim days
as You are in bright ones.
In Jesus name,
Amen
