How to keep your spirits up when the Weather is just being rude!

Let’s be honest - there’s “a bit grey outside” weather, and then there’s this. The kind of weather that makes you question your life choices, your location on Earth, and whether the sun has personally fallen out with you. When the sky looks like it’s been set to “sad darkness” and the rain feels aggressively personal, keeping your spirits up can feel like an Olympic sport.

But fear not. You don’t have to let miserable weather steal your joy. You can be damp on the outside and thriving on the inside. Here’s how.

First things first: lower your expectations of the weather entirely. Stop hoping it’ll “brighten up later.” It won’t. Acceptance is freedom. Once you accept that the sky is doing whatever it wants, you’re no longer emotionally invested in it. You win!

Next, romanticise the gloom. Yes, really. Grey weather is elite for pretending you’re the main character in an indie film. Big jumper. Hot drink. Slightly dramatic stare out of the window. Bonus points if you sigh like you’re processing something deep. Rain isn’t depressing, t’s cinematic.

Speaking of hot drinks: beverage therapy is essential. Tea, coffee, hot chocolate, something frothy and unnecessary, this is not the time for restraint. If it comes in a mug and requires two hands to hold, it’s doing emotional labour for you. Light a candle. Suddenly it’s not miserable weather, it’s “cosy season,” and you’re absolutely nailing it.

Another underrated mood-lifter? Wearing your comfort clothes. When the weather is horrible, your outfit doesn’t need to impress anyone except your nervous system. Soft, cosy fabrics. Oversized everything. Socks that feel like a hug. If you wouldn’t nap in it, reconsider. You’re not “giving up,” you’re self-regulating.

Now, let’s talk about movement, but gently. I for one have struggled to face outside and running on the treadmill has been my only option to get my steps in. You don’t need a hardcore workout montage. Sometimes it’s just a stretch, or dancing badly in your kitchen to a song you loved in 2009. Moving your body reminds your brain that you are, in fact, alive!

When all else fails, give yourself something tiny to look forward to. A favourite show tonight. A pastry tomorrow morning. A message you’ve been saving to open. Joy doesn’t have to be huge, it just has to exist. Weather thrives on stealing anticipation. Don’t let it.

Also, lets laugh at the situation. Complain dramatically. Send voice notes about how the sky has personally wronged you. Make jokes about needing a support group for people who’ve forgotten what daylight feels like. Humour doesn’t fix the weather, but it does stop it from sending you into full depression, I actually toyed with the idea of going for a sunbed - can you imagine with my skin tone!

And finally, remember this: your mood doesn’t have to match the sky. Just because it’s grey outside doesn’t mean you owe the world grey energy. You’re allowed warmth, softness, laughter, and joy (especially) when the weather is doing the absolute least.

The sun will come back. It always does. Until then, grab your mug, put on something comforting, and carry on being delightful out of spite.

We got this girls!