25 Days of Blogmas 2018, Day 16

Blogger Spotlight: Meet Shanice

On the sixteenth day of Blogmas
my true love sent to me:
Day 16: Meet Shanice
Day 15: Meet Lasonia
Day 14: Meet Erriel
Day 13: Meet Angeli
Day 12: Meet Javi
Day 11: Meet Girl on the Fly
Day 10: Meet Stephanie
Day 9: Meet Natasha
Day 8: Blogger Spotlight
Day 7: Never Ever
Day 6: New Years Resolutions
5 Favorite Things!!
Day 4: Stocking Stuffers
Day 3: Holiday Getaways
Day 2: All Things Advent
and a Posting Explaining to Thee

Fitting that Shanice from @faithnturtles would bring our Blogmas “Blogger Spotlight” to an end as the subject of mental health is such an important one, especially during the holidays. Keep that frown turned upside-down as best as you can; check out Shanice’s thoughts on that matter.

How to get Into the Christmas Spirit Early and Avoid Seasonal Affective Disorder

Tis the season! Wow, its December already. Can you believe it? Sometimes I cannot imagine how fast this year has flown by. But I must say that I have learned a lot this year and I am definitely grateful that I made it to December. I sure do how you feel the same.

I am Shanice a lifestyle blogger at faithnturtles.com. Let me start by thanking Grace for giving me the opportunity to write to you her followers. This is truly honoring the Christmas spirit. Are you guys feeling it yet?

Feeling the Christmas spirit can be so hard. You know it’s the time of year for being grateful, expressing love and kindness, celebrating the birth of Christ and giving thanks. But what happens when you just can’t seem to get into the mood for Christmas. What happens if you and one of those people who is affected by seasonal affective disorder?

For those of you who may not know seasonal affective disorder is a type of depression. This occurs at the same time every year and is brought on by the changes in the season. I mean it’s Christmas which is a very festive time but it’s also winter, there is little to no sunlight, the days are shorter and most times you are stuck inside.

In order to get into the Christmas spirit and avoid seasonal affective disorder this year, you must get mentally prepared and do things that will allow you to feel good. So I came up with a short list of things for you to do (3) each, it follows below.

Get Into the Christmas Spirit

Blast those Christmas Carols

How can you not sing along to Christmas carols? It is impossible. Joy to the world….. (finish it). Christmas carols have the power to lift your spirits and bring joy to your heart. My favorite album to listen to is Once Upon a Christmas by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers. Oh, I just love that Christmas Album. It never gets old. Give it a try. Get your favorite songs together in a playlist, turn your speakers up and sing along.

Tune in to your favorite Christmas movies

What is Christmas without Christmas movies? Not Christmas haha. I love the classics. I watch them every year and they never get old. However, this year I will be watching a few recent ones and I will share them with you as well.

Classics

A Christmas Story (1983)

Home Alone (1990)

Elf (2003)

Recent

You Can’t Fight Christmas (2017)

A Christmas Prince (2017)

A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding (2018)

Give Back

Christmas is all about giving back and there is no better way to get into the spirit than to make other people happy. There are many organizations that you can volunteer with, to help make someone else’s Christmas brighter. If you rather not go out then give back with your family. Help out a family member in need, assist mom and dad a little more this year. Give hugs, share the joy and make memories.

Avoid Seasonal Affective Disorder

“SpringTime Feelings in the middle of December” – Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers

Now the above are great ways to get you on the path of avoiding seasonal affective disorder because they will bring you joy. However, if they are not enough give the following a try;

Make your environments brighter and full of light

The reason some many people are affected by seasonal affective disorder is because they lack light. Improve this by making inside your home brighter, warmer and more comfortable.

Get active

Although the season would want you to stay indoors all the time, you must not. Get out and get active. Take a nice walk (safely). Get an at home exercise routine be it yoga, cardio or just on your favorite exercise machine. You can even dance to your favorite Christmas carols for 20-30 minutes each day.

Eat a healthier diet

Food Food Food. Now Christmas is very much a time for eating as it is a time for giving. Don’t get ahead of yourself. Treat yourself to your favorite foods and *self-celebrate because you made it to December. But, do it with your mental health in mind. Certain foods have the power to make you less productive and bring on the blues so choose the food you eat carefully. Eat those veggies and healthy snacks such as nuts, seeds and maybe some dark chocolate.

(*https://faithnturtles.com/2018/11/03/the-importance-of-self-celebration/)

‘Tis the season and you will be:

“Fine and dandy

Lord it’s like a hard candy Christmas

I’m barely getting through tomorrow

But still, I won’t let

Sorrow bring me way down”

– Dolly Parton

Best wishes for this season.

Faith n’ Turtles.

Meet Shanice, the girl behind these tidbits of holiday wisdom.

I’m Shanice and I like to consider myself as being made with love and light.

At the BSc level, I graduated with a degree in psychology. Immediately after graduation I enrolled in a MSc Criminology program, which I am still pursuing today.

My blog Faithnturtles.com is based around psychology because it is my way of sharing what I learnt and loved about the discipline. I typically write about social psychology, mental health, motivation and lifestyle.

On Fridays, I have a section called On Fridays We Shop and this is my way of showing a little more about myself and taste, adding a personal touch to my blog.

One word that I would use to describe me and my blog: faithful

Visit my links:

Twitter- www.twitter.com/faithnturtles

Instagram- www.instagram.com/happinessmotivates

Pinterest- www.pinterest.com/faithnturtles

Facebook- www.facebook.com/faithnturtles

Email- faithnturtles@gmail.com

Bloglovin- www.bloglovin.com/faithnturtles