The summer-is-over blues really exists

I've already worn the first turtleneck and that's not great.

But autumn always sneaks in: one day it's still sweltering and 42 degrees, the next day it's cold and dreary and gray. But however you twist and turn it: summer is really over. Nice if you still share a little photo of yourself in a bikini. Nice if you're still drinking rosé because you don't want to admit it. But it's no longer there. It gets darker, colder. And that can be hard to deal with: an end-of-summer blues is indeed a real thing in psychology.

You recognize it immediately if you're experiencing this. You have no energy, you find your work, your friends, your family, your partner, your house, everything actually boring. You find your life dull. You can barely get out of bed in the morning and you'd prefer to hide inside until about mid-April. But because hibernation is not yet widely accepted for humans, it's advisable to do something about it. And you can.

What you could do, for example, according to psychologists when the weather gets bad outside, is to look closely at yourself. What are your hobbies? Pick those up. You can be wonderfully creative at home when it's pouring outside. Go draw, make music, sing, dance, or lie on that yoga mat. Do something that makes you happy and let others not interfere. It's your thing: don't ask for opinions from others. They always think they know better.

Additionally, it's advisable to take a moment to reflect on your emotions: why are you in such an autumn slump? Is it because you feel that yet another season has passed and you're still stuck somewhere? What do you want to see differently in your life? Make a concrete plan, make time for it, and go for those dreams. Even before the new calendar year begins, you've taken the first steps. That own business , running that marathon, that trip alone? Just do it. When else will you do it?

Dealing with a setback like the start of autumn and crawling out of your slump has a lot to do with what science calls ‘resilience’. Not everything in life is fun and rainbows and puppies. Everyone has to deal with silly moments and bad days. It's just how you handle it. What helps, according to psychologists, is to accept it: see the big picture in your life. Think to yourself: those bad days are sometimes part of it, it can't always be a party. It's just a small part of my whole life, so I'll get through this too. Allow yourself a cry or a weak moment sometimes: not everyone is always happy and powerful. Although it sometimes seems that way on Instagram, yes.

Don't let yourself be driven crazy: crying is sometimes allowed and being grumpy too. But then lift your head again, put on your coziest (turtleneck) sweater and your nicest jeans, give yourself a beauty treatment, and pick yourself up. Preferably before mid-April.