A few weeks back, when I thought that I just couldn't take another minute of winter, I asked my dearly beloved Facebook friends what they do when they've got the winter blues.
This is what they said...
~ Find a hot tub. It makes me feel better to actually feel overheated again.
~ I moved back to the South. That may be a bit too extreme for some though.
~ eat ice cream and watch a movie.
~ Bake and sing!
~ Spring flowers all around and lots of warm cups of herb tea, wearing cozy and soft clothes xx
~ Although
it's not winter, I've taken to painting my nails for my blues.
~ get some exercise.
~ Vitamin D, Exercise, Natural Light Bulbs.
~ Attend
a flower show with a friend. Go to the pool. Get out of the house and
go window shopping at a distinct mall, like the Powerhouse Mall in W.
Lebanon, or the Colony Mill in Keene (where everything costs too much
but is pretty to look at!) Visit with a dear friend you haven't seen in
ages. Build a snowman and go sliding. What ever you do, do not do it
alone--have someone go with you!
~ sunlight.
which often means exercise outdoors. that's for the part of me that
deals with SAD. making things, having a project to plan for the part of
me that will respond to something positive to focus on.
~ And visit friends in California. 74 today..and 82 on Friday! [I think that was a hint!]
~ Eat chocolate, drink wine, buy flowers.
~ Ron Kenoly - High Places
That's what they said and it's really just a beginning of ideas, eh?
Since then, I've come up with... lots of food photography (the cloudy skies are brilliant - diffused and it stays light later!) Make a terrarium, do that spring cleaning around the house that we won't want to do when the weather is nice - paint something - move the furniture around - make a display! I'm currently reading five books at the moment! (Alright, that's a bit extreme...) MUSIC!!! Buy some new music! Take a photographic challenge - Eva Ricci has me thinking about green and all of it's associations so much! It's better than hypnotism! ;-) Have girlfriends over for lunch. Start stretching, now, so that I'm ready for gardening when it comes. Blog about my garden and make summer plans! Encourage someone else and be forbearing with the people who are grumpy spring bears!!! etc.
Since then, I've come up with... lots of food photography (the cloudy skies are brilliant - diffused and it stays light later!) Make a terrarium, do that spring cleaning around the house that we won't want to do when the weather is nice - paint something - move the furniture around - make a display! I'm currently reading five books at the moment! (Alright, that's a bit extreme...) MUSIC!!! Buy some new music! Take a photographic challenge - Eva Ricci has me thinking about green and all of it's associations so much! It's better than hypnotism! ;-) Have girlfriends over for lunch. Start stretching, now, so that I'm ready for gardening when it comes. Blog about my garden and make summer plans! Encourage someone else and be forbearing with the people who are grumpy spring bears!!! etc.
and, here, I've always just closed my eyes, twiddled my thumbs and hoped it would go away! ;-)
What I've mostly discovered, though, is that the knowledge that I have compassionate friends who can totally relate and that I'm not alone at all (whether people are still in hibernation or not) can completely turn the winter blues upside down! and I'm not just being sweet - I'm serious!
and one other little silly thing might help....
(It just came in the mail a moment ago - oh, boy!!!)
Every day is such a gift, remember?!
So... even though it seems so gray and muddy, now, (and up to a
foot of snow is predicted for tomorrow =O) it will only be a blink and
winter will pass like a strange dream (really!) and spring will be here!
(and, please, don't incinerate me for being such a Pollyanna! =P)
;-)
xo