By Sarah Trass
Happy Matariki! I find the timing of this celebration quite fitting, as June is typically when we start to feel a bit flat. If you're sitting there thinking 'yep that's me!', you're not alone – one in four are significantly affected by changes in season, clinically referred to as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). The cold snaps in the weather can affect our appetite, our weight, our desire to leave the house, as well as how we view ourselves and the life we lead. The majority of us can find ourselves focusing on everything we haven't achieved over the last six months, or beating ourselves up over the so called 'failures' we've encountered along the way.
So, what can we do to stay motivated this winter?
With Matariki giving us a boost of inspiration, beat the seasonal blues by changing your mindset. Start by focusing on all the positive things that have been happening for you this year, and how you can bring more of this into your life over the next few months. What specifically made these things work well? What do you need to continue doing, and what do you need to let go of?
To help you get going, reflect on the following: