Finding bright spots in dark days

The days are getting shorter and darker again. It has rained so much in recent weeks that we cannot deny it: autumn has started! And although this season, with its low sun and beautiful colors, is number 1 in my top four seasons, I am also someone who is susceptible to the autumn blues.

Add to that a second wave of the coronavirus and half a second lockdown and you quickly long for some light at the end of the tunnel. Do not worry; we've got you covered! In this blog post we share some bright spots in the darkness, so that you always have some tools you can use to get through the dark days!

Bright spot 1 - Find happiness in the little things

Happlify is all about finding happiness. This can involve grand gestures, but they can sometimes seem a bit overwhelming, especially if you have a serious case of the autumn blues. So here is a very simple tip to find happiness in everyday things: live in the moment . Now I understand that you think 'yuck, what a mindful thing' (I'm anything but mindful myself), but it really works. While I brush my teeth in the morning, I am already halfway through the working day and during the lunch break I eat my lunch half brain dead while scrolling through my Instagram feed. Sad but true.

What can you do to live more in the moment? Name in your head (or out loud) what you are doing. If the sun breaks through during your lunch break, sit and eat in the sun (with your coat on if necessary). And don't think about anything, except that you are having lunch in the sun; how the sun's rays feel on your face. You will notice that there is immediately much more room to allow that feeling of happiness and that this moment will stay with you at the end of the day, while on other days you can't even remember what you ate for lunch.

You can use this trick at any time and in any situation. You may have to force yourself to do it in the beginning, but after a while it becomes almost automatic and you will see that you see moments of happiness much faster in everyday things.

Bright spot 2 - Looking forward to the holidays

As soon as it gets dark earlier and the days start to get a bit drizzly, I get those holiday jitters in my stomach. It starts with Halloween (I still think it's a shame that it is so rarely celebrated here in the Netherlands) and then I go straight into Christmas mode. That's why I really don't wait until after December 5 to decorate the Christmas tree and play Christmas classics. For me, the holidays are really bright spots in dark days and what makes winter fun. And I can look forward to that from the end of September (sorry not sorry). To make the anticipation even more fun, you can use a countdown app or create a countdown calendar. Instant party atmosphere guaranteed!

Nice! If you start decorating on time, you will have plenty of time to work on a Time Capsule. You can read what that is here: Save your memories and plan your wishes for 2020 with the Time Capsule

Bright spot 3 - Get the best out of your home

Now that we are at home more than ever, we might as well make the best of it. If you make sure your home is a nice place, it will never feel like a punishment to have to spend a lot of time there. Home improvement tasks always make me very happy. Simple things like hanging a shelf, changing the styling of a corner or refurbishing a piece of furniture often make your home feel new and fresh. And the best part is that you often already have everything you need at home! Go shopping within your own four walls: for example, I often only have a small part of all my home accessories 'on display'. The rest is hidden in boxes or cupboards somewhere. Open all those boxes and cupboards and see what hidden treasures you have. If you swap a few things in different places in the house, your home will feel completely refreshed. And bonus: if you open all those boxes, you can immediately clear out/sell everything that you will never use again.

Those were three tips from my side that will help you get ahead for a while, but I'm very curious about what you do to get through the dark days! Leave your tips in the comments.

The author: Vera Bertens

Vera Bertens is the creative heart and brain behind it Franje Design, which she founded in 2009. In addition to her wonderful world full of sweet and funny creatures, she also illustrates and designs on commission from her studio in Tilburg. We love her work and invite you to discover this Dutch gem for yourself. Vera's blog posts >