Conquering the Winter Blues

Every year the same thing happens.

As the days get shorter, I go through a 2-3 week funk that I can't seem to shake.

Dark at 6:30 p.m. & the shortest day is still 5 weeks away.

I can't make myself get out of bed in the morning. I can barely keep my eyes open past 9 p.m. That's not me. I'm the person who is up at 5 a.m. every morning after going to bed at 11 p.m.

I become a hermit (OK, a bigger hermit than normal). I just want to be at home by myself (mainly so I can go to bed by 7:30 p.m.). That's not me. I love grabbing a drink after work with friends, going over to my sisters' homes in the evening and playing with my nieces/nephews or stopping in and saying hi to my parents.

I feel overwhelmed by what's happening at work. I can't concentrate without shutting my door and turning up my music. I get to work later and go home earlier because I'm so tired. That's not me. I'm usually good for 10+ hours at work and then another hour or two on my laptop at home.

I'm sure all of this has to do with the seasons changing and the time change but it's so hard because I'm just not me. I can't imagine if I had to take care of others (children, spouse, pets, plants) right now. I can barely take care of myself.

But I see the light at the end of the tunnel. After a mini-breakdown on a phone call with a friend last night, I think I may be coming through it. I stayed up past 9 p.m. and I exercised while watching hockey (love my mini-stepper). I'm actually looking forward to a night out or two this week.

Bring it on, Winter. I'll survive your cold winds and short days and look forward to better days!

Do you get the winter blues? How do you snap yourself out of them?

Reason 43 Why I Should Not Judge Others

This is what I saw after I dragged my garbage can into the garage on Monday night.

It made me realize what the knocking sound was that I heard while driving home from the gas station a few minutes earlier.

I just shook my head, put the gas cap back on and closed the door.

I was officially one of those people.

The people I have always silently judged as I passed them on the highway with their gas cap flapping in the wind.

"How can you forget to put the cap back on?" "How do they not notice what is obvious to everyone they pass?" "Can't they see the open door in their side mirror?!?"

The next time I pass one of these misunderstood humans, I'll just say a little prayer that whatever was on their mind while pumping gas works itself out and they have a better day.

The next time I pump gas, I'll check twice to see if my gas cap is secured and the door is closed.