16 Ways I’m Beating the Winter Blues

Winter can be rough in these parts. Day after day of gray skies take their toll. I’m sure if you live somewhere that’s always sunny, the brightness could take a toll, too. I wouldn’t know since I’ve always lived in states that have all four seasons. Unfortunately, winter just happens to be the longest season around here.

This year I decided to be proactive. I figure I can’t change the gray skies, but I can try new things to make life feel fresh. Here are sixteen things I’ve done since January 1 to beat the winter blues.

1. Listened to happy music on Spotify. I’m currently enjoying the Sunday Morning Jazz playlist.
2. Bought new makeup. I didn’t just buy a blush or a lipstick. No, I threw away ALL of my old makeup. It was past its prime, and I had Christmas gift money to spend.
3. Watched YouTube videos and borrowed a book from the library to try new makeup techniques. This has been fun. I’d never applied foundation with a small brush before. I wouldn’t do it every day, but I’ll use it when I want to look special.
4. Walked outside. When you bundle up and wear warm boots, you can get outside in the winter. I recently walked three miles during a gentle snow. It was incredible! So quiet and relaxing.
5. Rented movies. We watched Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and I was stunned by the sets. It was like getting transported to Hollywood in 1969. The attention to detail blew my mind. I’ve read several books recently about movie stars, musicians and places (Hotel Chelsea in NYC and Chateau Marmont in LA) in the late sixties, so “seeing” the Sunset Strip back then was a thrill for me.
6. Sunday pampering. I give myself a mani-pedi every Sunday night. It just makes me feel fresh.
7. Read magazines in our living room. Our living room is in the front of our house and has large windows and good lighting. The only problem with this room is that it has great views of the sidewalk, and our mini-dachshund Sophie barks at everything she sees. Since she follows me everywhere, I don’t get to enjoy many bark-free reading sessions, but I’m trying.
8. Went thrift shopping. I enjoy consignment shops and thrift stores. Finding a new shirt or pair of jeans always makes my day.
9. Spent a few hours at a different library. We are blessed to have multiple libraries in our system that I can borrow from. So I drove a little farther and browsed the stacks at a different library. I found some great books.
10. Read books in different genres. I’m reading a short story collection, The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury right now. It’s been on my list for a while, and I finally ordered it. I’m enjoying it even if it is creepy!
11. Tried a new dessert recipe. Valentine’s Day is my day to try new desserts. I made an ice cream pie–well, dome, really. I layered an Oreo crust, coffee ice cream (with added chocolate-covered almonds), hot fudge sauce, chocolate ice cream, chopped Oreos, more hot fudge sauce, and vanilla ice cream covered with chocolate-shell topping. SO BAD FOR YOU (yet so good)!!
12. Watched a few episodes of Landscape Artist of the Year (Ovation channel). Seeing artists creating incredible landscapes before my eyes is very interesting and satisfying.
13. Tried a new coffee shop. Coffee is always good!
14. Browsed a purse sale. Didn’t buy anything. The prices were still pretty high. But sometimes it’s fun to look.
15. Watched a high school diving meet. Out of all the sporting events I’ve been to, this was a first! It was wonderful to be WARM the entire time. Plus, we’re pretty proud of my son’s girlfriend who excels at diving!
16. Modified my Passion Planner. I adore this planner! But the bottom sections of the weekly layout weren’t working for me as given. So I modified them to make more sense for my brain. Now it’s perfect.

I could have listed even more, but you get the idea. None of these things cost a ton of money (except for the makeup–thanks, Mom, for the Christmas money!), yet they brought me joy in so many ways. Sometimes beating the winter blues is just a matter of doing something different for a little while.

How do you get through monotonous seasons?

Have a great day!