As winter descends upon California, do you find yourself grappling with a weariness that seems to seep into the very essence of your being? Is the joy in the things that once lit up your soul dimmed as sunset comes sooner? The seasonal transition, with its dropping temperatures and premature darkness, often serves as a backdrop for emotions like depression, anxiety, loneliness, and more. Your emotional well-being is crucial to your physical health. The erosion of either can take a toll on your overall quality of life. Dr. Yvonne Thomas, a prominent therapist in Los Angeles, can help in a variety of ways, not the least of which is in navigating the “winter blues.”
The Right Healthy Physical Activity for Your Needs
You know the basics: rest, hydrate, nourish your body with protein, and perhaps resort to over-the-counter medications.
Conversely, when it comes to your emotional health as well as your physical health, starting a regime of healthy eating coupled with fitting exercise into your daily routine can be a game-changer. Similarly, cultivating a robust social support system and finding balance in your life contribute positively to your emotional well-being.
On top of that, you could benefit from dedicating time to reflection, meditation, or journaling helps with grounding yourself and enhancing self-awareness. Dr. Yvonne Thomas advocates for the importance of such practices, emphasizing their role in preventing emotional “wear and tear,” so to speak.
When In Doubt, Get Up and Move
When negativity obscures your ability to see the silver lining and doom-laden thoughts seemingly play on loop in your mind, inertia might be a contributing factor. Exercise emerges as a potent antidote, providing an outlet for the release of pent-up negative emotions as well as the release of positive, feel-good endorphins and more.
Remaining sedentary or reneging on commitments to physical activities can allow these undesirable emotions to fester and intensify, creating a self-perpetuating cycle of pessimistic thinking. It’s hard to overstate the role of exercise in shaping our thought patterns, emphasizing the profound impact it has on our self-esteem and self-image.
Engaging in physical activities, irrespective of intensity, instills a sense of accomplishment and bolsters confidence. Conversely, the absence of exercise can trigger a decline in self-worth, leading to negative self-perception. It can make you not only feel worse, but leave you less productive, less optimistic, and even “less fun.”
A Therapist in Los Angeles Who’s Ready to Help
Breaking free from this cycle becomes challenging once the self-deprecating thoughts take root. The lack of energy becomes a deterrent to exercise, perpetuating a downward spiral of deteriorating emotional well-being. Remember, just as you nurture your physical well-being, your emotional health merits the same conscientious attention and care.
Dr. Thomas, an experienced therapist, can help. In private sessions, she can work with you to find the root causes of your struggles and, in time, to be able to overcome them. Schedule a free complimentary phone consultation through the site or by calling.