Why Prioritizing Mental Health This Season Is Essential: A Personal Journey

How’s your mental health been this season? You know, it’s not something I focused on a lot in times past. I don’t know if I was oblivious to it, if I felt I was managing things well, or if I just didn’t have the information necessary to navigate it. I didn’t start to consider focusing on my own mental health until this year, which was the result of an unfamiliar spell I went through in the winter of 2023.

One day I woke up and I didn’t have the energy to do much of anything. That wouldn’t have normally been odd because we all have our ups and downs, but the next thing I know, three days had gone by and I was still feeling drained physically. It was at this moment, I realize my mental space was being challenged. I remember talking to my sister, and telling her I didn’t want to do anything. It was a feeling of a mixture of sadness, low spirits, and wanting to be left alone. This went on for about a week before things got a bit better.

I think I was depressed. I’m no clinician, so I can’t offer a formal diagnosis, but I know something was off and it made me hyper aware when this winter season rolled around. I considered it was possible for it to be seasonal depression, but since I couldn’t be certain, I had to be mindful of my mental and emotional headspace this year.

The weather is looking much better these days here in Indiana, and things are different. I’ve been getting outside and walking every day that I can this season, and I feel it has played a huge role in my positive mental space. I didn’t even come close to getting outside last year like I did this season. Even though I’ve been dealing with perimenopause, and I still have some low energy days, nothing feels familiar to the feelings I was having a year ago. The consistent movement and the fresh air has become a non-negotiable for me, and I believe it’s been a good form of medicine while dealing with my perimenopause journey in general.

Time spent and shared with loved ones (even outdoors) is always a spirit booster for me, and I’ve been focused on self-care in ways that I’m used to, but also in ways that are new to me. I got a massage two months in a row, and I think I need to keep that going. Whatever stage of life you’re in this season, I want to encourage you to take your mental health serious, and find ways to nurture yourself every chance you get. Life can be challenging in general, and things can really kick up a level with the onset of perimenopause, but there are ways to fight through it for a better experience on our journey.