Singing the "Winter Blues?"

I don’t know about you, but I love to listen to music and I even enjoy singing a little here and there. Mind you, I am no American Idol, but I still like to accompany some of my favorite singers, as if I were the perfect back-up singer for them.

At this time of year, I know many people who have said they are “singing the winter blues”. During the Spring, Summer, and even Fall months, most people feel more energized with longer daylight hours and signs of nature’s creatures stirring about. However, during the winter months, many people experience much less sunlight, bone chilling cold temperatures, and nearly no signs of life by nature’s critters. Even if you don’t live in a state that is plagued with chilling temperatures and sky scraping snow mounds, most people receive much less sunlight during the winter months, which can lead to experiencing “winter blues”. Those who suffer from the “winter blues” may feel more lethargic, more moody, and even experience self-blame.

As a self-image life coach, I am going to share with you some very simple and effective tactics to help combat the “winter blues”:

1) Exercise – Studies have shown that people who engage in at least 30 minutes of cardio exercise can experience increased energy levels and happier moods. This is due to an increase in serotonin levels, which regulates mood and energy in the body. So, whether you pop in that aerobic DVD or hop on that treadmill, finding just a few minutes a day to exercise can help keep away those “winter blues.”

2) Diet – Another effective way to steer clear of “winter blues” is to eat more complex carbohydrates (e.g. grains & rice) and simple carbohydrates (e.g. fruits). Those individuals who eat more junk foods (e.g. soft drinks, cookies, chips, etc.) may experience a momentary increase in their serotonin levels, but then their energy level will drop significantly, leaving them feeling lethargic. So grab a nutri-grain bar instead of a cookie, and enjoy prolonged energy.

3) Meditation – Take just five to ten minutes a day and actively meditate. This can leave your body feeling relaxed and refreshed. For example, when I meditate, I envision myself on a warm and sunny beach. The thoughts of being on a beach lead to a physical reaction in my body, as if I were on a beach. The result is a more pleasurable feeling and sensation.

4) Morning Sleep Schedule – A final effective way to avoid the “winter blues”, if you are not a morning person, is to adjust your sleeping patterns to the schedule of the sun. In other words, try to wake up as the sun is rising. Many people sleep-in well after the sun has risen, and this cuts down the amount of sunlight they receive in a given day. The bottom line is that if you are not an early bird, you may want to consider becoming one during the winter months. This can fend off the "winter blues".

Warmest wishes!

A New Year Brings a New Blog!!

Many people make New Year’s resolutions every January 1st. I have to admit that I am one of those people. You, dear reader, are at this very moment reading my first New Year’s resolution. This fantastic new blog called Optimize Your Self-Image.

Some subscribers know who I am, and my passion for maintaining an enlightened self-image. However, for those of you who do not know me, I would like to introduce myself; my name is Shannon Tancock and I am a self-image/self-esteem life coach. I was specially selected to train with the extremely gifted and talented Martha Beck (columnist for O Magazine and author of Finding Your Own North Star and The Joy Diet). My life coaching journey has led me to focus on a niche that is near and dear to my heart, self-esteem and self-image for women and girls.

I do believe that every woman and girl deserves to feel happy and beautiful, inside and out. I also believe that a key factor to obtaining happiness and beauty is to have an enlightened self-image and higher self-esteem. As a self-image life coach, “I have been there and done that.”

Growing up, I had low self-esteem. I watched, from a darkened corner, all the other girls in my high school try-out for the cheer leading squad, all the while thinking to myself that I was not good enough to try out. No one had actually told me that, just this little negative voice inside my head said "who are you kidding, you are not good enough". I also felt I had failed as a student, and as a daughter for that matter, when I received any grade below an “A”. This led to a very unfulfilled life and low self-worth. I can honestly say that I have coached myself (along with the help of my own life coach) to a healthy self-image and fabulous lifestyle.

As a survivor of low self-esteem and low self-image, I want other women and girls out there to know that they too can overcome these self-rejecting beliefs and live an enlightened and fulfilling lifestyle.

With this blog I intend on sharing helpful tips and other resourceful information that not only helped me to obtain a higher self-image, but also helped others who struggled with low self-esteem. My hope is that you will find the information contained in this blog helpful and inspiring.

The first tip I would like to share is my "cup o' steem" moment. What I do is sit with my cup of coffee, or tea, or whatever my poison is for that morning, and I close my eyes for just a minute or two and repeat to myself, "I am a natural born winner: always was and always will be." After about two months, I noticed myself feeling a change occur and then I noticed that I really began to believe what I was saying to myself. Initially when I started out doing this little morning routine, my reaction to that statement was "Are you kidding.....you can be a loser". However I can honestly say that over time, I noticed my reaction changed and now I can honestly say my reaction is "OH YES I AM A WINNER!"

Please try this tip out daily, and I believe you will feel and see your self-image change deep inside you.

Cheers and enjoy!