Happy Things

I’ve probably written this post 800 times. (Do I even have that many posts?)

I don’t do winter. I don’t do cloudy. And I read blogs all the time about how to beat winter blues, SAD, whatever. But it’s different for everyone. Here’s my personal list for this winter:

Go outside even when it’s cloudy/cold/rainy. By staying inside when it’s cold, we train our brains to fear the cold. Instead, bundle up and go outside. Reverse the fear.
Fill my time with meaningful things. I love learning new things, but when my motivation is null, I’m not likely to teach myself something. So suggestion: sign up for a class, like at Joann’s. You paid for it. You have someone relying on you to be there and to succeed. So I asked a friend to give me art lessons. Coursera is also a good option.
Exercise in the mornings. The sun in up for about 10 hours a day, starting at 6:45am and ending around 5pm. Doesn’t it make sense to be awake for the entire time the sun is? Wake up with the sun, get your blood pumping, and start your day. Then by the time the sun goes to sleep, you’ll feel okay staying in and relaxing.
Socialize. It’s honestly as easy as “I’m going to Target, want to come?” or “Got you some ice cream, let’s eat it and chat for a minute.” Socializing is good for so many reason. Serving others boosts their mood and yours. You get to rejoice with others in their accomplishments. Mourning with those that mourn puts your own woes into perspective. Just having that sense of community does amazing things. Then there’s the more selfish reason- socializing expands your support network. If you need help, there will be someone there to cry with you.

Always more happy things to think about, but this is a solid list. I can’t really focus on more than a few goals at once, so I’ll stick with four.