Food for Thoughts by Leigh Currey Merrifield
Winter typically presents some “tough times” for people to get through.
It seems that once the holidays are behind us and the excitement factor kind of slows down, our moods begin to be dictated by what is going on outside. Instead of feeling radiant and aglow, we become gloomy, lethargic, and sometimes depressed. The weather has a real impact on our lives and affects how we function through the days. Every day seems like a Monday and you know what those are like!
Each season fills us with very different feelings. There is the ‘innocence’ of Spring when the outdoors is bursting with new life and greenery. This is followed by the ‘exuberance’ of Summer when we can enjoy outdoor activities like swimming, picnics, and vacation getaways. Then along comes Autumn and its ‘reverence’ when we can feel the relief of cooler, crisper breezes and be amazed by the jewel tones in our landscape. And finally, there is Winter, a season or ‘perseverance’ when we more or less ‘endure’ and resolve to get through it!
I think I will refer back to last week’s column and suggest that we “count our blessings”! It is WONDERFUL that here in West Virginia we have the opportunity to witness all of these seasonal changes. We can’t say it’s boring, now, can we? We can savor the majesty of each passing season; but for some reason, we are always anxious to see Ol’ Man Winter make his exit! While the first blanket of snow may be beautiful to look at, winter just seems to linger.
As we watch the weather news, we should probably be counting our blessings once again because our winter has thus far at least been rather mild. Many areas of our country have been besieged with conditions much more harsh than we have had. We haven’t had huge amounts of snow that have required a lot of shoveling – and that is a blessing. And temperatures have not been consistently frigid either. That, too, has been a blessing. However, I am growing a little tired of wet rain and dampness – how about you? I guess it is typical that in mid to late January, we are ready to start the countdown to Spring. And I have already checked my calendar! In a little over six weeks, we can spring our clocks forward an hour and gain an extra hour of daylight. YAY! Add another week to that and it will be the first day of Spring. YAY again!
That gives us something to look forward to, but in the meantime, here is the crux of our problem. The daylight hours are short; most of the time it’s too cold to be outdoors; most days recently have brought us some sort of precipitation; and long story short, it is mood altering. We are stuck inside … the evenings seem very long … we cuddle up under a blanket and perhaps suffer from lack of exercise … we comfort ourselves by eating chocolate and other things that we shouldn’t … and we put on what is termed “winter fat”. That doesn’t make us happy so we become frustrated and moody and have what might be aptly called “temperature tantrums”. The good news is that this, too, shall pass and the next season we will experience will be even more greatly appreciated!
If you are beginning to suffer from cabin fever or the winter blues or whatever you want to call it, here are a few suggestions of things you can do to help you persevere!
- Open your curtains and blinds and let in as much sunshine as you possibly can – even if it has little strength.
- Bundle up and get some fresh air – even if it is for a short period of time.
- Sit beside a window so you can see outside – even if it’s too cool and damp to be out in it.
- Visit your library and find a good book to help you pass the time.
- Accomplish some chores that you’ve put off doing.
- Try making your environment more cheery; change things up a bit and add a touch of color.
- Add a fragrance diffuser to make your home smell of lavender, peppermint or jasmine (some of these oils uplift the spirit and address depression!).
- Invite a friend or neighbor over to chat over cookies and hot chocolate. (You can both growl about the weather together!).
- If you have indoor plants, spend some time caring for them.
- Eat “good mood” foods. (In my case, that would be homemade soup or {uh-oh} chocolate cake!)
- Engage in a goal-oriented activity like perhaps organizing your cluttered basement. (Tell yourself this is one thing you won’t have to do in the Spring!)
- Mimic the behavior of hibernating bears and allow yourself the luxury of frequent naps – a great form of escape!
- Take a long, relaxing bath, followed by a good lathering with a moisturizing lotion.
- Indulge in a hobby that you never seem to have time for.
- Last but not least, IF you can afford it, migrate to the SOUTH!
Just some ‘food for thought’ …………………..
This week’s dessert: “Winter is the season when people try to keep the house as warm as it was in the summer when they complained about the heat!” ~ Author Unknown