Winter Blues

Hello Reader,

I don’t know what part of the world you're in, but the holidays are looming here. As we start to prepare for snowfall and cold winter nights.

The weather comes creeping in and clothes become thicker and the heat gets cranked.

At least in North America. For people in other parts of the world clothes might get skimper as the winter months become hotter.

Winter has its perks and its downsides, however, the fall and winter months by far are my favorite. The weather gets cooler and the leaves begin to fall. There's just something about warm comfy clothes and hot chocolate that makes a part inside of my smile. Snowflakes falling from the sky and mountains of snow everywhere, warm fires.

With the current times being so chaotic around the world. Wars brewing, countries in states of flux. People are just sick and tired of being sick and tired and want the system change, even if it means watching it burn for that change to really happen.

Winter blues can happen to the best of us, during the best of times, but I can only imagine what’s going to happen next in the 2021 new year. The question might be looming in people’s minds, or people could be choosing to not think that far ahead. As we are all lucky to have at least one more day. There is a good old AA saying “Take it one day at a time.” It has become something of a life moto, because ultimately you can never really know how many you really have left.

With winter coming I do find myself having some winter blues. They happen to the best of us. Quarantine, no family. I have also taken to isolating myself from people because frankly I really don’t want people in my life and would like the current people out of it for good, so I can take a sabbatical for a year and really focus on myself and my own healing journey before I have to think about other people. After what I have been through in my life, and the things I’ve had to deal with, endure and the sacrifice I’ve had to make for others who wouldn’t do the same thing for me, its is much needed, but unfortunately that is still a far fetch future idea.

So how am I dealing with my winter blues you might ask? Small indulgences and little victories that in the end make all the difference. One thing I like about the change in season is that stores and restaurants offer seasonal flavours that really do taste better when the seasons arise. Fall is the pumpkin spice ice cap and pumpkin flavour coffee. When the snow starts to fall I will enjoy indulging in some christmas flavoured teas and coffee like gingerbread. Winter makes me crave allspice flavours.

Another winter blues remedy, which to be honest isn’t something I have been really able to do in a long time is reading a book. I used to love to curl up on the couch and read books. I do remember when I found a book and spent the entire day reading it from start to finish. It was a really good book and I haven’t been able to get into another book quite like I did that one.

Unfortunately, my apartment is only equipped with a shower because I really am due for a bubble bath. Had one last year at my old place, when I finally had the balls to use the bathroom in the basement instead of the one upstairs near my room. It was the most relaxing thing ever, however, I didn’t have any bubble bath because I really did it on a whim and had to improvise with some scented body wash I had left over.

So since I am physically incapable of having a bubble bath I will be improvising and indulging in some much needed yoga with some stress relief incense. Winter blues be gone I say. Probably not, but a girl can dream.

I seem to be shrinking in size, not fast but i am starting to notice that my belly seems to be getting smaller, which is a nice feeling. As long as I don’t think about it too much, it won't necessity bother me. I do feel better when I am smaller and healthier, so that is something to look forward to. However, with all my own issues that brings up some unwanted anxieties, but it is yet another small victory.

I will just be excited when the snow starts falling and the coffee mugs come out and the hot chocolate starts brewing, maybe with some tiny marshmallows. That should chase some winter blues away. Also, if quarantine hasn’t killed most people's spirit, the lights will be pretty to look at as well.

The first year I moved to Ottawa, down near parliament in confederation park they had ice sculpture displays with very pretty blue lights. There really were too many people around, and back then I was post-addiction with mad anxiety. So the less stress I put on myself the better, heaven forbid I should have found myself inside of a bar. I worked too hard on the road of recovery to blow it then, or have some idiot blow it for me. So I opted to just watch it from the street. I might have gone in to see one and take a couple of pictures, but there really were way too many people around.

I’m hoping that people are going to put up Christmas lights this year, even though we're in quarantine. It's something I have always enjoyed since I was little was all the different colored lights around the towns or cities that I lived in.

So I hope some of my winter blue remedies can help make the winter months a little easier for someone else. I know I will be enjoying some small victories and some winter blues self-care.

Thanks for reading,

Stay safe and stay healthy.

Samantha