Winter blahs

The winter blues. My grandfather used to get them, and I do too. The funny thing is that I like winter, but come mid-January things start to seem rather dreary and it's hard to stay motivated. I remember being about twelve and my family and my aunt Kathleen's family were all coming home from a nice day on the Plaza (a jazzy spot in Kansas city with fountains and restaurants) and it was getting dark at five. I thought, "The days are only going to get shorter from now on," and it really depressed me. Well anyway, a lifetime of seasonal effective disorder and I've found a few ways to trick myself into being happy once in a while. I get the sun when the sun is out. I open curtains, lay in it, take walks--just five minutes a day can perform miracles to ones psyche. I take supplements with vitamin D and B12--those Emergen-C packets are great. I exercise. When life gets busy and I skip out on some sort of exercise, my mood instantly starts going south. Stretch, walk in place, lift hand weights, take walks. Scents and colors are a great way to trick your brain out of a depression, so go out and buy those pretty candles you've been eyeing. Read books, listen to music. And most of all, tell yourself that it's temporary and that spring is coming. I actually quicken springtime by buying seeds and little planters early March, and start growing plants indoors.

You would think with the lack of snow and all the mild days we've had this winter none of us would have any of the doldrums, but I guess it's built into us to suffer anyway. Take care, and don't drink yourself out of the winter blues. Try some of the above suggestions, and keep your head up. Things will get better.