Don't hibernate this winter

How to fight the blues this long winter
by
Robert L. Fielding
1. Grey skies – frosted up windows – anyone would get depressed – so fill your house with colour – buy some plants and the odd bunch of flowers occasionally – you’ll be surprised how much better they make you feel, and plants give off oxygen too, so your health will benefit too.
2. Winter is a time to hibernate, isn’t it?  Wrong!  Get out – don some good, warm clothes and stout footwear and go walking.  Some of the best walking weather is winter weather – cold, bright days.  Stay active – hibernation is for the birds.
3. Singing is good for you at any time – singing loud takes the blues away – especially in winter.
4. You know how it is through the week in winter – you set off for work in the dark and come home in the dark – but hey, at lunchtime it’s still daylight so get out there into it.  Don’t suffer like they do north of the Arctic circle – get plenty of sunlight.
5. Yep, OK, it’s wet most days, and overcast when it’s not actually raining – so you still need your sun – get some artificial sunlight – get full-spectrum lightbulbs.  Don’t suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)!!
6. Stop procrastinating – just because it’s winter, doesn’t mean you have to stop – in fact now you’ve probably more time to do certain things you usually don’t have time for – reading is one of them – very therapeutic – takes you out of yourself.
7. Be gentle with yourself, you are a child of the universe – remember that?  Reward yourself every now and then – buy yourself a little something to say, “Well done, ME!”
8. Get in touch with long lost and nearest and dearest – talking to friends or even just sending them an email will perk you up, and you’ll enjoy the anticipation of hearing from them again.  Be sociable!
9.  Spoil yourself a little – dark chocolate and bananas are rich in good things – antioxidants and magnesium – both useful in feeling better in winter.
10. Get some cleaning done – don’t wait until Spring comes along, you’ll want to be out then – spruce the place up, it will keep you active, make you feel good and the place will look a whole lot better – that alone will cheer you up.
11. Breathe more deeply – engage lungs, diaphragm, belly – get that oxygen into you – cheer up immediately.
12. Get away if you can – the whole world isn’t frozen, and you can find good deals at this time of the year – look for somewhere warm and unusual – try Malaysia – it’s amazingly cheap.
Robert L. Fielding