Winter doldrum breakout

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant;

if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.

Anne Bradstreet

For some of us living in the Northeast, the long, dark days of winter can be a formidable force. Sometimes it seems like we’ll never again feel the warmth of the sunshine on our bare arms, the scrunch of the beach between our toes or the whisper of a summer breeze across our skin.

I know that some of you dear readers adore winter, thriving on cold season camping on a snowy mountain, ice skating on a mirror-smooth lake at sunrise, or a going cross country skiing across powder coated fields.

I used to be one of you, well at least the skating, skiing and sledding ones. In the mild February sunshine in the afternoon, of course, which is the image you see above.

So today’s message is for all of us who are longing for more warmth and light in our days and need a lift to get us through until the buds begin to bloom and the birds begin to sing again. Here are some ideas to breakout of your winter doldrums.

Embrace the season

You heard me. Find something, anything good to celebrate. Gather a few families and go sledding for an hour or two, and be sure to bring along hot cocoa and some snacks to have a picnic at the top of the hill. We used to do this and it was always a blast. Go build a snowman with your children. Take a walk in the early morning and photograph the beauty of the snow in the sunlight. Build a campfire and toast some marshmallows-always take care!-and share some stories, or host a full scale barbeque. Generally speaking, when you mix family, friends and food, you can’t go wrong.

Ignore the season

Can’t bear to be outdoors, or the weather is just too cold? Host a tropical themed potluck, play Caribbean music and decorate with leis and bright colored silk flowers. Invite friends over for a game night. Have a slumber party with your family, and enjoy games, movies, snacks and lots of laughs.

Visit that museum exhibit you’ve been eyeballing. Go hang out at the library with your kids, and take home some new books, movies and music cd’s. Just FYI: if you haven’t been in a while, libraries are a wonderful place to read and relax. They also tend to have speakers and activities going on, so check them out.

Go back through your boxes of old photography prints, and label, sort and toss. They are a great source of stories and entertainment. Invest in an XBox 360 and the Kinect Game. When the family comes to visit, we will pull out the games and proceed to make dancing fools of ourselves and laugh ourselves silly at tennis and bowling. Although I recommend this with reservations (mostly due to the cost), it is a great way to play together and to get some exercise.

Learn something new

Enroll in that ballroom dance, cooking or photography class that’s been on your bucket list. It will get you out of the house, get your mind in gear, and you may make some new friends and pick up a new skill or polish an old one. Your local high school or college will typically have classes for adults that are very reasonable in cost.

If you partner with a friend, you can not only encourage one another to attend each class, but you can practice the activity together as well. You can join a local group that shares your interests, whether it’s photography, square dancing, running, unicycling or astronomy, or whatever it is that piques your interest.

What to do when it’s more than just temporary

Sometimes the season tosses a heavy, gray blanket of depression over you. Michael Hyatt of the Intentional Leadership blog wrote that in the past he had experienced some mild depression just before the Christmas holiday, and his focus and energy level was adversely affected as well. He wrote about it, along with suggestions that worked for him at How to overcome the winter blues. You can also read up on Beating Winter Woes and Seasonal Affective Disorder at WebMD.

Remember that a body at rest tends to stay at rest, but a body in motion tends to stay in motion, so if you can just get out of your chair and make a decision and commit to something, you will feel better for it, and spring will be here before you know it.

Today’s challenge: What are you going to do this week? Plan a potluck? Take a brisk walk? Throw a tropical indoor picnic and watch Elvis’ Blue Hawaii?
Share with us how it goes.

Sharing at No Ordinary Blog Hop

FYI-My friend Matt who runs the Financial Excellence Blog, also runs a camping gear store, Grate Outdoor Solutions. You can get nifty marshmallow/weiner roasters, campfire tongs and more there!