With Winter comes withering... But it doesn't have to be like this! Autumn is the time of change, of transition from the warm to the cold, and so we have time to prepare for the things that might make us wither away...

Winter is a time when we wither. As much as we don't like to admit it, most people who say they loved nature, being outside and walking in the summer, sitting on the grass until late, enjoying days out and staycations while we were in lockdown and travel became a irresponsible chore, are the same people that recoil into the warmth of home, coseying up on the couch with blankets and tea, lighting candles and choosing to stay in to watch a movie over going for the after dinner walk. Not everyone is like this, of course they aren't. But a lot of are. We wither!

Seasonal depression is a thing. It affects people most years, but this year, 2020, the year when the world shut down for a bit, is going to be that much harder. People have lost jobs. People can't feed their kids. People haven't been able to see their families and friends. People's businesses have gone under. People have passed away in numbers we are not used to seeing.

Our income withered, our savings withered away, our children are withering because they don't have enough food to eat, our trust in the Government, it's withering. My tolerance of screen time, unpaid work, of which I have devoted many hours in the hopes of finding a job, the novelty of House Party and quizzes, and what seemed like never ending personal time, it's all withered. So what can we do? What is left?

So what can we do? What is left? How shall we go forward as the ngihts ge darker and the days get shorter to make sure we don't wither any more than we have done this year?

I was withering, during the last two weeks of October but I kept going. I was still productive. I've been doing things to support my professional development, I've had a couple of professional meetings, I kept reading, and writing, but I was withering. It was getting tiring more easily, I was lacking in energy, finding it difficult to keep up momentum and not question what the point was.

So how to get out of this slump? I cant be the only one feeling like this after months of unpredictability, insecurity, upturned routines, restrictions on social activities and low low income. I'm going to share the things I did to reenergise myself. It might help, it might not; I can't say these steps are for everyone, but this is what got me out of it. In no particular order:

1. Take a break. Whatever you're doing right now. Take a break. Take a moment to yourself, step back and reevaulate. 2. Be easy on yourself. Try to make things happen, but also understand that circumstances dictate and right now, a lot of this is way out of your control.

3. If you're doing the slog of job applications, (which is likely) and getting rejected left right and centre, (also likely) ask for feedback and try to keep that door open. If you show you're gracious and still interested then you look better, even if you were originally rejected.

4. Do something else. If you've been doing the same thing(s) for weeks on end, and you're feeling deflated, demotivated or not getting the desired results, then change it up.

5. Go outside. It's dark and cold now, so it's a bit harder, but allow some time to go outside when it's still bright and you'll feel heaps better. Try to do at least one of these things and you might feel a bit better. You might, like me, come back to life.