Start Your Winter Glow Up Now With These Practical Tips

The last few months of the year have always been tricky for me. Shorter days and colder weather make it tempting to get cozy and put things off. But over time, I realized this season is an opportunity to reflect, refocus, and readjust for a winter glow up. Why wait until January to set goals when I could get a head start? 

It turns out I’m not alone. The “Winter Arc”, a viral TikTok trend, is all about prioritizing yourself and revamping your habits in the last 90 days of the year. This holistic glow up covers everything from career and finances to fitness and mental health. Here are a few practical tips I’ve used to finish the year strong.

Let’s be honest: we all have areas of our lives that could use a refresh. But it’s challenging to make meaningful changes if we don’t understand our current state and how well it aligns with our desired state. Self-reflection provides clarity and purpose, which is empowering and motivating. To start my glow up, I ask myself:

—What’s working well and what needs improvement?

—Which habits or routines are holding me back?

—What personal goals do I want to focus on and how will I achieve them?

Reflecting often highlights several areas for improvement. To make the transition to new routines easier, I focus on realistic, actionable steps. 

Winter Beauty Routine: Since 47% of millennials are most concerned with dryness when shopping for skincare products, now is a good time to focus on hydration. The lower humidity and indoor heating can dry out our skin, leaving it flaky and tight. To keep my skin happy and hydrated all winter, I switch out my moisturizer for something richer and add a moisturizing serum with hyaluronic acid. I also start using hydrating facial masks at least twice weekly. 

Mental Health Reset: It’s common for people to get the “winter blues” during the shorter fall and winter days. It can cause decreases in energy and motivation or, in more serious cases, seasonal affective disorder (SAD). To stay positive and energized, consider getting into the habit of taking walks. The invigorating crisp air and the beautiful changing colors always improve my mood while the walk allows my mind to wander. Wellness activities like yoga classes, book clubs with a self-care focus, or friendly get-togethers are also mood-boosting.

Cold-Weather Fitness: While people are most active during the summer, maintaining your fitness is important to your overall well-being. Instead of slowing down, use the cooler months to explore new fitness activities. Maybe you’ve always wanted to try kickboxing or spinning. Perhaps you’ve been meaning to take your bike out. Choose one activity to commit to for the season. I like to set a fitness goal to work towards. For this year, I registered for a 10K run in mid-December as motivation to run at least four times a week.

Career Refocus: Whether you’re a boss or an employee, the last few months of the year are a good time to think about your professional goals and career trajectory. It’s a good practice but can be particularly helpful if you’re feeling stressed or frustrated at work. Use career-specific reflection questions to get a big-picture perspective and help you make adjustments. I keep a notebook where I jot down my reflections and action plans. It’s a good accountability tool and I can always go back to previous goals and plans to see how I’ve grown.

Financial Refresh: The Federal Reserve reports that there is a gender gap in financial literacy that stems from women feeling less confident when it comes to financial matters. I’ll be the first to admit that finance and investing intimidate me but financial freedom and security matter. A LOT. With the holiday season approaching, that’s all the more reason to examine your budgeting and saving. Two high-impact moves I made to support my winter glow up were to open a separate high-yield savings account with automated monthly deposits and to use an itemized spreadsheet to track my monthly spending.