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This weekend I went to brunch with some girls in my small group and we got to talking about how this was the worst winter any of us had experienced in Chicago so far. Usually temperatures are in the upper 20s to low 30s but this year, days above 20 (or even 10…) are the outliers.
Not only are the temps low, but the sun rarely comes out. When I arrived in Phoenix last weekend I realized I didn’t even think to pack my sunglasses. Why? Because I put them away sometime around November and forgot about them.
Neither of these factors bodes well for an optimistic attitude.
Personally, I love the snow, but by the end of January I am so over winter, especially this year. The cold and lack of sun combined with my fruitless job search and a few other personal matters has left me feeling somewhat depressed, lethargic and anti-social.
I know many of you may be suffering from similar symptoms so I thought I would share some things that help me improve my mood and motivation while Fighting the Winter Blues:
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1. Exercise: “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands, they just don’t.” –Elle Woods in Legally Blonde
MOVE! I know I have a really hard time motivating myself to bundle up, walk the half mile to the gym, change, workout and then re-bundle up and walk home but I do it. Why? Because I feel SO MUCH BETTER on days that I go to the gym than on days that I stay home. Gotta get those endorphins!
2. Force yourself to be social: There are some days that I just want to hole up in my apartment and not talk to anyone, but again, my best days are the ones where I get out there and make plans. Even if go to work with other people, there’s nothing like an after-work happy hour with your friends to cheer you up!
3. Animals: If you have a pet then try and take some extra time to play and snuggle with your furball. If you don’t have pet, then borrow one! I pretend Molly is my dog all the time, and I know she loves it! If you can’t borrow someone’s pet, then head to your local animal shelter and walk around. No one can resist smiling at puppies, right?
4. Go outside: it might be freezing cold, but if there’s a little sunshine, then GO! I find that even if it’s really cold, I feel so much better if I just stop and stand with the sun on my face for a couple of minutes. Not only does it feel good (depending on the wind…) but just 15 minutes of sunshine is all you need for Vitamin D absorption!
5. Faith: This is personal to everyone, I know, but for me a huge part of getting me through rough times is my faith. Even on my hardest days nothing makes me feel better than knowing that I just need to do my best and the rest is in God’s hands. We are all on a journey and it’s important to just stop, look around and be thankful for everything that you have right now, rather than worrying about the future.
Do you have a hard time dealing with winter weather?
What do you do to “fight the winter blues?”
