23 Cozy Cabins on Instagram to Ignite Your Winter Wanderlust

The delicious Whole Foods hot chocolate is only $2 a cup.

The Whole Foods hot chocolate (officially named Organic Milk Chocolate Flavor Mix Hot Cocoa Mix. Fancy!) is from the 365 by Whole Foods Market brand, and features 10 packets in a single box. Not only does that mean it's $2 a cup, but it's also easier than ever to whip up a late night beverage. My favorite thing ever is curling up with hot cocoa and a book or TV show in bed!

Instead of a pot or saucepan, all you need is a mug and a microwave. Just heat up your water or milk and mix a packet in! I'm pretty bougie when it comes to hot chocolate, and use equal parts water and soy milk, then add a splash of eggnog. Trust me, it makes the cocoa even richer and more flavorful than it was before.

The hot cocoa packets include organic cane sugar, organic nonfat dry milk, organic cocoa powder, and some sea salt among other ingredients.

You can enter your zip code to find the Whole Foods hot chocolate near you, but you can also order it on Amazon for a quick delivery. And if you're not a fan of the packets, opt for a 12 oz container instead!

One Amazon reviewer says this product is "such a treat," and that it "dissolves without any issue," which is a huge challenge when talking about instant cocoa. "You can control how much of the flavor you want which we like since you just scoop it into your cup from the container," they continue. "Good size for the price. Container seems to last a while too."

"I'm a REALLY PICKY hot chocolate lover," another Amazon review says. "This is good stuff. It blends perfectly and tastes rich. I blend it 50/50 with 365 coffee and a hot cup of milk. Some reviews say it's expensive compared to Swiss Miss. I just checked and this is $6.79 for 12 servings - Swiss Miss Simply Cocoa's cheapest prices is $7.33 for 8 servings. This is a good buy."

"I like it because I can adjust the amount that I use, for myself I use less than is suggested because it is so rich and chocolatey," a third review says. "Price is on point. And product is consistent."

And if you mix it into your morning cup of coffee? Well, that's a mocha for way cheaper than you can find at Starbucks ;).

1. Get outside for at least 20 minutes everyday.

My seasonal depression is definitely perpetuated by my work setup – I work remotely full-time, which means a big chunk of my days are spent inside in isolation.

Knowing that being in nature can soothe the tension caused by not only locking in on work tasks for hours at a time, but sitting in the same place for just as long, I’ve been prioritizing getting outside for at least 20 minutes a day. Even just sipping in a breath of fresh air can provide a nice restart to a not-so-great day.

Whether it’s going for a walk, coffee run, or to let your dog out, getting outside for a change of scenery can absolutely improve your mental health.

2. Engage in exercise that feels good.

I’m lucky to have found a combination of workouts that feel good to my body and mind. Climbing, hot yoga, and outdoor walks have truly kept me sane this far in the season!

Exercising (of any kind) releases dopamine and serotonin, which arecommonly linked to treating depression. It can also improve neuroplasticity, learning, and memory in the long-term, which, to me, sounds like a win-win for everyone.

The key for committing to an exercise routine in the depths of seasonal depression (and beyond) is only engaging in workouts that bring you joy – exercise should not serve as punishment, nor does it have to be painful.

3. Delete social media when I know it’s impacting my mental health.

This one is huge. I could talk for hours – heck, even days – about how hurtful social media can be for my mental health. To make a long story short, social media (Instagram in particular) degrades my attention span, sense of reality, and self-confidence.

There was a period of time where I had screen time limits on apps like Instagram and TikTok, but I would override them 99% of the time. Now, I'm making an actual conscious effort to delete the apps off my phone entirely when I feel the doomscrolling has gone too far. It’s helped so much: I don’t feel a constant sense of FOMO (which is a massive challenge when 69% of adults use social media), pressure to buy unnecessary things, or distracted from the present moment.

Of course, I’ll still download the apps every once in a while to check in – there’s a delicate balance between wanting to feel simultaneously connected and disconnected – but the biggest part of this is maintaining the boundaries I set for myself.

If you feel like deleting social media apps cold-turkey isn’t quite the step you need to take at the moment, I suggest making use of screen time limits and sticking to them, so you can live and be present in your (real) life!

4. Prioritize seeing my friends in person.

As I mentioned, working from home is quite isolating. I know many of my friends feel isolated this time of year, even if they work in-person jobs. I don't have any family members that live very close to me, so my besties have truly become my chosen family.

Speaking from experience, having a friend group (or even just a golden best friend) to turn to in those quiet moments after the workday is the ultimate cure for loneliness, boredom, and depression. In fact,studies like this onehave shown that a positive sense of community is associated with reduced reported symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.

So, gather your pals for a movie, craft night, potluck, or even just time to rot on the couch together. A lot of times, your friends may be feeling the exact same way you are.

5. Cook nourishing and rewarding meals.

Winter time is comfort👏 food👏 central👏, so there’s no excuse to not whip up a delectable soup or casserole fit for the season. Seasonal depression most certainly takes a toll on my executive function, though, so finding (or rather, making) the time and motivation to cook something for myself can be rough. Don’t even get me started on going to the grocery store.

That’s why I like to turn to recipes that yield big ol’ batches of food, so I can eat on leftovers for a week or so rather than cook something new every single day. Bonus points if the dish is healthy! Maybe the meal preppers are onto something…

You can find tons of delicious, easy, healthy, meal prep-friendly recipes here!

6. Be cognizant of my water intake.

As important as eating healthy is, it doesn’t mean much if you’re not hydrated. Drinking adequate amounts of water every day simply sets me right – I notice I have so much more energy than the days my water bottle’s not tied to my hip.

Experts recommend that women drink roughly 11 cups of water daily in order to benefit the body, from your immune system to your mood. I’ve been making the ritual even more enjoyable with a fun water bottle, customized with stickers and all.

7. Journal regularly.

Journaling can reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and hostility, as well as encourage self-awareness and resilience against the daily grind, which is why I aim to commit a tiny slice of my day to writing (or drawing). Even if there’s nothing “bad” or dramatic going on in my life, journaling about the mundane is super helpful in simply getting to know myself.

To incorporate journaling into your routine, I suggest writing right before bed, right before you wake up, or on a quick break during the day. Even just 5 minutes alone with your thoughts and your pen can transform your mindset.

You can find some really helpful journal prompts for improving your mental health here!

8. Go to therapy regularly.

Seeing a therapist on a regular basis has been a huge game-changer for me. When I started to go several years ago, I denounced therapy as a whole, but I started to really love it after a few months worth of sessions.

A good therapist can help you manage depression, stress, anxiety, and other mental health struggles, plus provide effective methods for self regulation, self awareness, communication, problem solving, and a whole lot more.

I’ve found my favorite part about therapy is having a third party to talk to about certain situations in my life – it’s been super beneficial when I want to talk through things I can’t (or don't necessarily want to) tell my close friends or family. Seeing a therapist regularly also helps me keep myself in check in terms of life, mental health, physical health, work, creative goals, and more.

Blake Lively's The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Co-Stars

Most upsetting is the unabashed exploitation of domestic violence survivors' stories to silence a woman who asked for safety. The hypocrisy is astounding.

We are struck by the reality that even if a woman is as strong, celebrated, and resourced as our friend Blake, she can still face forceful retaliation for daring to ask for a safe work environment. We are inspired by our sister's courage to stand up for herself and others.

For anyone seeking more information or engaging in this important conversation online, please read the full legal complaint in the investigative reporting by Megan Twohey, Mike McIntire, and Julie Tate for the New York Times.

Colleen Hoover, Author of It Ends With Us

Paul Feig, Director of A Simple Favor

Director Paul Feig also shared his thoughts about what it's like to work with Blake on X. He said, "I’ve now made two movies with Blake and all I can say is she’s one of the most professional, creative, collaborative, talented and kind people I’ve ever worked with. She truly did not deserve any of this smear campaign against her. I think it’s awful she was put through this."

Robyn Lively, Blake Lively's Sister

The sisterly energy is real and we're so glad Blake is surrounded by it. Robyn, Blake's big sister, shared her full thoughts in a lengthy Instagram caption just 10 hours!

While encouraging people to do research for themselves by reading The New York Times article that details the devious plot to publicly destroy Blake, she had other things to say. "We live in an age where we have access to people’s personal lives like never before — especially actors. It makes us feel like we know them. We see them on social media, watch clips of them, and make snap decisions about their character," she wrote. This reminds me of the parasocial relationships author Amanda Montell detailed in The Age of Magical Overthinking — definitely something for us all to keep in mind.

She also called out how easy it is for the media to warp the public's perception of the truth. "The 'truth' in the tabloids is hardly ever what you think," she added before eventually expressing how "proud" she is that her sister "didn't allow herself to be silenced in the face of adversity and lies."

Bart Johnson, Blake Lively's Brother-in-law

According to Page Six, Blake's brother-in-law Bart Johnson didn't hesitate to share his thoughts about the behavior of Baldoni and his team. He reportedly wrote, "Her complaints were filed during the filming. On record. Long before the public conflict. The cast unfollowed him [Baldoni] for a reason." in the comment section of the NYT Instagram post about the lengthy deep dive into what happened.

He continued by writing, "His PR team was stellar. Gross and disgusting but highly effective. Read the article, their text message exchanges and his PR campaign strategy to bury her by any means necessary. No one is with out [sic] faults. But the public got played."