Last week I started experiencing some pretty textbook symptoms of the winter blues. After cheering myself up by buying not one but two new winter coats, I shared
Mental Health Tip #1: Retail Therapy.
The next day, I decided that watching Making a Murderer is doing nothing to help anyone’s Seasonal Affective Disorder, so that became
Mental Health Tip #2: Stop watching Making a Murderer.
Turns out, I was just getting started.
Mental Health Tip #3: Float.
Full disclosure: We tried this the first time Saturday. I didn’t care for it. The water felt cold and I got bored, but Rob liked it.
Mental Health Tip #4: Color.
My advice to a FB friend (Hi, Cinthia!) interested in getting started: Adult coloring books are awesome because it completely does not matter how it turns out. I had an art teacher when I was little who said “There’s no such thing as a mistake,” which is bullshit in real life and real art. But grownup coloring books? No one’s going to judge. Or even see it unless you Instagram it. You can go outside the lines, use the wrong color… it does not matter. And if you get a book you like, it’ll look cool no matter what you do.
Mental Health Tip #5: Sing Along.
I like showtunes, but that doesn’t mean you have to. I’ve been listening to Hamilton, Broadway’s hottest show. Find your jam.
Mental Health Tip #6: Walk in the Rain, or the Snow, and if possible, on a Beach with Dogs.
How do you stay sane during the dark months, friends?
Once again, a few extra words this Wordless Wednesday.
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Kari Neumeyer 
Great tips! I get the winter blues, too. Have avoided Making a Murder for this reason. I would add that in addition to retail therapy, a chocolate brownie or french fries help, too.
Absolutely! M&Ms, too. Chocolate chip cookie…
We embrace the winter here. Getting out in it is the best therapy we know. After several days of being below zero which limits our walks to 30 mins or less, we are looking forward to a few warmer days, but you have to embrace what you have as it is all you have.
I usually don’t mind walking in the cold, but it’s felt SO miserable lately.
Great post! My mom got some adult coloring books for Christmas and it is bringing out the inner child in her! 🙂
My mom got me a coloring book and some markers and pencils for Christmas! It’s been great fun (and of course, when I saw a dog lovers one and a cat lovers on Amazon, I had to order those, too!). I’ve definitely been enjoying coming in from frigid walks, making a cup of hot chocolate, and settling in with a coloring book.
What a gorgeous spot for a breezy but beautiful walk. The colour tip is a bright and magic one for winter as everything is always so grey and dull. Have a lovely day.
Having the Goldens around really helps with the winter blues. Sometimes I just force myself to get outside and play around with them in the cold and am always surprised at how much this helps! 🙂
Yay for coloring books! Having a dog certainly helps too. I like doing little treat scavenger hunts for him and watching him try and find them! It’s delightful.
Or, mental health tip #7; Escape to a warmer and sunnier climate, if possible, hee, hee. P.S. i do treat scavenger hunts for the dog with petsit. it is so much fun, and she loves it. Cheers and take care.
Vitamin D 3 is good for SAD, and a lot of other things.
Typos by iPad
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I felt better knowing that a lot of people have SADD seasonal affective disorder.
It helps to know you’re not alone, right?
I’d like to add #7 “a good glass of wine” right after I’ve finished #6. LOL
Right on!
These are great tips! I’ve been feeling quite a bit of winter blues. I should probably go color!
We play in the kayak toy to stay sane. Maybe that is why I am going crazy this week, it has been two whole weeks since I have been in the kayak toy. AAAAAAAAAh! Playing in the sunshine helps some too.
I’m a big fan of retail therapy…and possibly the only person who doesn’t have Netflix.
Yes, a walk and then some great music and a cup of tea when you get back home. That’s all I need!
Great tips and perfect timing for this time of year!
I love tips #1, 5 & 6! I love to shop ’til I drop – or ’til I go broke whichever comes first LOL! Watching that great video actually got my feet tapping, I didn’t expect the music to sound so hip! And of course, a walk in the snow with my Husky can be magical. We live in Phoenix though, so not too many of those dark Winter days & no snow! We head up North to find the snow & cold, I’m looking forward to that!
Love & Biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
Living in Phoenix is another way to beat winter blues!
Great tips – especially stop watching Making a Murderer. Luckily we finished it the other day so now i can get over that anxiety (somewhat anyway…). I don’t think it’s just the weather that makes folks get the winter blues cuz it’s nice here in the winter, but I usually get the blues in January. (And watching MaM didn’t help!) Luckily I have Rita to hang out with – she always cheers me up. And I have my new adult coloring book and pencils that I got for Christmas. I have a “singalong” playlist on my old iPod. May need to bust that out and do some coloring!
Even if it’s warm, the days are shorter… and of course there’s the post-holiday let-down, and the feeling like it’s a new year, what is there to look forward to… Is this all there is to my life?
With experience, we can learn to recognize the signs and take comfort that they will pass. At least you have a nice beach nearby! And Rita!
i find being outdoors in the sunshine, no matter how cold, really helps. Unfortunately our home in upstate NY had as many cloudy days as Seattle.
Hope you find some peace. And the days are getting longer every day.