Winter Blues: Causes, Symptoms, and Seasonal Mood Changes
The winter blues are a common, temporary drop in mood, energy, and motivation experienced during the colder months. As autumn turns to winter and daylight hours shorten, many people notice feeling tired, unmotivated, and less productive. These shifts are usually mild and short-term, unlike clinical depression.
Common symptoms of the winter blues include low energy, reduced motivation, fatigue, cravings for comfort foods, and increased time spent on passive or distracting activities. For some individuals, these mood changes are more severe and may indicate Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a type of seasonal depression. However, for most people, the winter blues involve minor but noticeable changes in mood and activity.
Why Do the Winter Blues Occur?
Winter-related mood changes are influenced by biological factors. Shorter daylight exposure can reduce serotonin production, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood (Meisters & Gordijn, 2016). Reduced sunlight can also disrupt circadian rhythms, contributing to fatigue, low motivation, and changes in sleep patterns.
Importantly, psychological flexibility does not assume that there is something inherently wrong with us. Rather, it encourages an openness to experience and a willingness to engage with life as it is. In this sense, recognizing that we are already enough complements our capacity to grow: self-acceptance becomes the soil in which flexibility can flourish.
Similarly, Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy emphasizes that each part of ourselves—whether critical, fearful, or joyful—has value and a role in our inner psychological system. Viewing ourselves as “enough” means that we approach these parts with curiosity rather than judgment.
Greater acceptance of ourselves allows us to listen to what each part of us needs, enabling emotional development and more adaptive responses. Growth, then, is not a process of replacing “bad” parts with “good” ones but learning to harmonize and integrate the full spectrum of our inner world.
The paradox lies in holding these two truths simultaneously: that we are inherently worthy and yet capable of change. Many people mistakenly believe that accepting themselves as they are might diminish their motivation to grow. In fact, the opposite is true.
Self-acceptance provides a secure base from which exploration, learning, and experimentation become less threatening. When we are not driven by self-loathing or the fear of inadequacy, we can approach challenges with curiosity and resilience, experimenting with new perspectives, emotional responses, and coping strategies. Growth becomes a creative, life-affirming process rather than a battle against oneself.
Practically, embracing this paradox can be approached through mindful practices, reflection, and intentional skill development. Mindfulness encourages noticing one’s thoughts and feelings without judgment, reinforcing the idea that being human—including flawed and vulnerable—is enough.
Meanwhile, targeted exercises to cultivate empathy, communication, and emotional regulation can enhance psychological flexibility and strengthen resilience. Over time, these practices create a feedback loop: the more we accept ourselves, the more we can grow; the more we grow, the deeper our appreciation for our inherent worth.
In essence, the journey of self-development is not a contradiction but a dance between acceptance and growth. Being enough in the present does not preclude striving for improvement in the future; instead, it makes that striving sustainable and compassionate.
By recognizing that our current self is worthy of respect, care, and love, we free ourselves from the exhausting cycle of self-criticism. At the same time, we open the door to learning new skills, embracing diverse perspectives, and cultivating the psychological flexibility needed to navigate life’s inevitable uncertainties.
Ultimately, the paradox of being enough while growing is a profound invitation: to honor your current self as complete, while also committing to becoming more resilient, aware, and adaptable.
When acceptance and growth coexist, life becomes not a task to conquer but a rich, unfolding experience in which both self-compassion and personal development thrive.
We often use a combination of ACT and IFS to help improve self-worth. To learn more about how to more fully accept yourself, while still striving for grow, reach out to us to schedule an appointment.
By Clinical Psychologist Dr. Jennifer Barbera’s PhD PhD, C. Psych
