It’s flippin’ cold outside. Depressingly cold. Just walking from the backdoor to my car after work is enough to create a moody spin of negativity. Compound the polar arctic temps with the lack of vitamin D that many Michiganders experience this time of year, and you have a recipe for doom and gloom. Are you looking for some instant relief from the many downers of the month of January? Try these seven insta-happy ideas to perk up the coldest of Michigan days.
1) Be lazy. It’s winter. Hibernate. Plan a couple lazy nights each week. Grab a big blanket, put on your fat pants, order take-out (salads if you must), cuddle with the remote, light a candle, and turn on a feel-good movie or a Netflix series or grab a good book. Unplug, lay on the couch, and chill. It’s the season of rest.
2) Plan a trip. Even if it’s just a day trip, make some plans to visit a new city or a beloved location sometime in the next couple months. Research what you’ll do, where you’ll eat, how you’ll get there, etc.… Map out the festivities. Planning an adventure is good for the soul.
3) Treat yourself. Stop the dingy mood in its tracks and go get the dang frosted cookie that you love from the local bakery. Drive through and get your favorite chai tea from Starbucks. Buy the shoes that you wanted for Christmas but never received. Purchase your new favorite song on ITunes. Browse Barnes and Noble and buy yourself something off of the best seller rack. It doesn’t have to be expensive or lavish. It’s all about breaking up the norm.
4) Lift someone up. Give them the gift of your genuine kindness. Extend a compliment to someone who would never expect it. Send an e-mail and tell someone how much you appreciate and value them. Send a text telling someone just how amazing they are. Outline what you love about someone special to you. Surprise the hell out of them. You’ll make their day (or week) and you’ll feel great as well.
5) Wine and dine. Invite someone over or out to dinner. Uncork a rich pinot noir or a great red (Malbec is my personal favorite). Come up with a reason to celebrate on a random Tuesday or Wednesday. Celebrate friendship, declining gas prices, or that we live in a world with beer. You pick. It’s the perfect way to break up the wintertime Groundhog day syndrome.
6) Bundle up and get out in it (the frigid cold, that is). Hiking and taking in the beautiful winter scenery and cold air is a great way to recharge. On the really bad days, make it short. Really short. But you’ll find that the fresh air will alter your state of mind almost instantly.
7) Plan out a winter project. Do you hate the color of your kitchen? Are your scrapbooks up-to-date? Do you have a Pinterest board of “DIY-Someday Projects” that’s basically untouched? Get to it. You’ll want to garden and work in your yard in a few months, so get the indoor projects underway and have a little fun in the process. Projects are the perfect distraction from cabin fever.
So, do not fear. Embrace the season of the groundhog. With a little ingenuity and planning, you can beat the monotony of these long January and February days. Make a plan and be creative. I feel happier already. Don’t you?
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