Beating the Winter Blues
- Christine
- Mar 10, 2015
- 3 min read
Winter Blues got you down? If you're anything like me, you can no longer stand the sight of snow and the single digit temperatures have you cringing. If, by some chance the temperatures are in the double digits, it's with a nice little minus sign in front. Wonderful.
It's to that point in the winter season wher February has finally come to a close and Spring is almost here. You can almost taste the free Rita's Ice you'll b eeating, despite the temperature.
And even though you keep telling yourself you are completely content with pining for Spring and watching your life go by from the comfort of a heated blanket, you have to admit you just feel a little down. I know, I am too. Which is why today, instead of attentively paying attention during my Human Resources class, I decided to brainstorm a list of things to do tto beat the Winter Blues.
1. Get Active- Believe it or not, getting up and getting your blod flowing will definitely help you get out of the winter funk. This morning, I dragged myself out of bed at 7:30 a.m. to go run around a track. And yeah, running laps doesn't sound like fun, but it got my endorphins (a.k.a your body's natural happy pills) going, and I was able to slightly ignore the freezing temperatures. So grab a friend and hit the gym, go to Zumba, or take a yoga class. I guarantee once you're done hating your workout, you'll feel much better.
2. Read a Book- Sometimes, reading is the best way to escape the current crap we call winter weather. Spend an afternoon in a bookstore or library with a hot cup of coffee or tea, and find something that'll take you far away from here. It's really the best distraction. You won't be looking out the window every other minute wishing the sunshine felt warm rather than just looking warm.
3. Get a Hobby- They aren't just for the retired. Hobbies can be anything from scrapbooking, to doing sudoku puzzles, to knitting. I took up knitting in the fall and was able to make all my friends cozy hats to keep their ears warm all winter long. I eventually even made on for myself. The possibilities are endless! You just have to be willing to look.
4. Help Others- Winter can be a time to realize just how lucky you are. If you're reading this, I am assuming you have a place to stay, food to eat, and some heat source. If you don't... well you can stop reading here. But if you fit that description, now is the time to reflect on how good you really have it. Volunteer your time at a soup kitchen, a homeless shelter, or even at an animal shelter playing with the puppies that don't have a nice warm fireplace to snuggle up by. If you're feeling really ambitious, start a drive to benefit your local community. Coats, hats, scarves, gloves, food, and basic care can go a long way with making someone's load seem a little less heavy.
Naturally this is not a comprehensive list of everything you can possibly do to beat the Winter Blues. These are just some things I thought about in class that are helping me get by. If you've been feeling a little down, give one of these a shot, along with a steaming cup of tea and maybe some cookies (unless you gave them up for Lent like I did).
Until next time,
Christine
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