Whether you love or hate the cold, it’s hard to function in a cloudy world. Weather has a huge impact on how I feel on any given day, and it’s such a fundamental part of our environment we frequently don’t notice we’re grumbling because it’s cloudy, not because of the people we sometimes take it out on.
I have frequently found myself adrift in a sunless world. Because when we wake up into haze, it’s so much easier to stay that way. It’s easy to forget to sleep or eat, or do these basic things that we take for granted when our world is sunny and bright. But these tools that we use so habitually in our happy place, are also our best ones for getting us back into a productive mindset.
So I made a list of the fundamental things that help me to smile, regardless of what’s making me frown.
My List:
- Eat responsibly – although in a pinch, just eat anything.
- Get dressed up and pretty
- Find a creative outlet: Writing and/or singing are just a few options!
- Listen to music
- Exercise
- Find someone to talk to
- Keep a clean room/private place
- Find some alone time
- Get out! Go somewhere with people.
- Get eight hours of sleep, no more or less.
- Listen to talk radio
Now it’s your turn! Go out and make a list of things that keep you sane. Here are five tips for curating your list:
- Avoid putting anything on the list that deals with a problem more specific than a sad face – you don’t know what problems you will be dealing with.
- Make sure at least 90% of the things on the list are things you can do on your own, anywhere you go.
- If something seems so obvious there’s no point in listing it (eating, sleeping, for example) it should be number one.
- Write little notes to yourself in the margins of your note, make it something that makes you happy by itself.
- Make up different versions of the list, keep one in your wallet, on your wall, or under your pillow.
Despite the mood-distracting weather, setting goals and having a good group of people around you can help you fight the S.A.D. and be happy.