Friday, January 22, 2010

Beating Back the Blues

What IS it about this time of year? We all popped some bubbly in anticipation of the New Year feeling all those good high expectations and then we wake up on January 2, look outside at a sea of gray and just want to crawl back into bed. At least that's the way it has been for me. Had a long talk with the hubster about that the other night. He is a lawyer and every January he is hired for more divorces than you can count on two hands. Looks like folks who are splitting up wait until AFTER the holidays so they don't ruin things for the kids. Many have taxes due in January and all the Christmas bills come due. EEK. Talk about depressing. He has been feeling the same way, I think. Tonight we are beginning a little exercise program together. Wow. Wish me luck with THAT. I detest sweating. Just not my thing. Still, this is something we can do together and the encouragment we'll offer each other will be great. We've also decided to start doing more things together and I believe 'dinner out' is in our future tonight. Now THAT makes me smile. I usually like to cook but lately, with just the two of us rambling around, it seems more a chore than something I enjoy. Going out is a nice break.


For me, I think it has been a sense of restlessness. You know how it is. You must get going on things but the weather is oppressive and dull so you kind of feel you're just blending into the scenery. Yesterday, I was BLUE. BLUE BLUE BLUE. So what did I do? I soaked in a hot bath until my skin got squiggly, watched Julie and Julia (cute movie by the way) and took a short nap. By evening I was feeling a bit better. I'm just DONE with January. I'm ready for some sunshine and ready to get excited. I don't feel my new year began on January 1 or even 2 but I'm hoping that with the end of the dreary weather, I'll be feeling my bouncy, cheerful self again.

Today I'm heading out to a baby shower! Awwwww. Nothing like brightly wrapped packages and cute little baby things to help you dig out of a funk. The hope. The wonder. All that good stuff might be just the thing to beat back the blues. What do you do to climb out of a deep, dark funk?

19 comments:

Bronwyn Green said...

Honestly? I wait for March. As much as January sucks I hate February even more. It's gray and cold and all the snow is a disgusting shade of blackish yuck. T.S Elliot was wrong, wrong, wrong. April isn't "the cruelest month" - It's February.

I think exercising with your hubby sounds like a wonderful idea. Like you, I hate to sweat, but I think the physical activity helps. I think I'm going try to shovel out my office so I can go on an archeological dig for my treadmill...

Cindy Spencer Pape said...

Hugs, honey! We're here to help you through it.

Julia Rachel Barrett said...

I do okay - get outside everyday even if I end up drenched to the skin. It helps. My husband used to get SAD - seasonal affective disorder, until he started using Vitamin D - it helps too. I find myself out of sorts these days for other reasons besides the darkness...

Anny Cook said...

When I get blue, I find it helps to spend time with others. Being alone exacerbates things. More company = less blues.

Titania Ladley said...

Hey, girl! No one despises the cold more than me *shudder*, but I usually try to rationalize that I have all those gorgeous months to look forward to, April through October. Just a couple more months and we're out of the woods. Exercising does help, so do keep that up! Hubby and I started the P90X home weightlifting and cardio program together (beachbody.com, or you might have seen their infomercials) and it's really helping chase the blues away for us. All you need is a few dumbell weights, those stretchy band thingies (or a pull-up bar for hubby), and a DVD player. It comes complete with a high-protein diet to follow and a calendar, plus each workout is different---no boredom there. If you have someone to do it with, it really helps motivate you, too. Yup, I highly recommend P90X. :)

Aww, a beebee! Have fun at the shower!

Huggers,
Titania

Regina Carlysle said...

I don't like February a whole lot better than January, Bron. We do have a nice little Valentine's Break in there which helps but it's also generally gray and icky, too.

Regina Carlysle said...

Aw, thanks Cindy. Maybe we can all talk each other through it.

Regina Carlysle said...

Anny Cook recommended the Vitamin D to me, Julia. I'm gonna try and see if it helps.

Regina Carlysle said...

Anny, you said it, girlfriend. We writers certainly know what it's like to be alone most of the time. Add in gray, crappy weather, post holiday funk and it's a recipe for disaster.

Regina Carlysle said...

The baby shower was a BLAST. Just got home and let me tell ya, if you're blue, find an expecting friend and have some fun. There is nothing better than chatting about the coming of a new baby-kins to make all right with the world.

Titania, my son swears by the P90X. We have a three car garage and one section is packed with exercise equipment. NOrmally, I just occasionally dust it...snicker..but might actually start using this crap.

Anonymous said...

eAw, sweets...I hear you loud and clear. I'm going through much of the same winter blues here in Minnesota. I swear, I'd kill for that vacation in the sun again. Florida was hot, muggy, and OMG, wonderful!

Plan a vacation...when was the last time you and your darling hubby went away together? If you ask me, you both deserve it!

Hang in there. We'll all get through this together.

Hugs

Kelley Nyrae said...

The blues are hard. I get like that from time to time. Being with my friends helps, or like you said, relaxing in a bath with a good book. HOpe you're feeling better and love ya!

Fran Lee said...

I love January, and February, and March, and... Well, at my age, you never hate any month as long as you live through it! LOL!

Anne Rainey said...

I hate getting the winter blues. I'm always like that Jan. and Feb. Then when March gets here it's like the fog begins to lift.

Anyway...hope the vitamin D helps!
hugssss

Regina Carlysle said...

Yeah...sunshine, vitamin D and our weather is warm (70's)at the moment but I know THAT won't last. If I can get through Jan and Feb the fog will begin to lift.

Paris said...

The sun came out for two whole hours today right before it went down;-)Honestly, not much has been helping lately but I'm seriously considering some extra Vitamin D!

Maria said...

I so agree with this. Frankly I need Spring to come and rescue me!
We've had grey skies and rain for the last 5 days where I live and I just heard the forcast and it doesn't look like we'll see the sun at all next week either :(

Anna Mayle said...

Spring cannot come fast enough for me, but I can smell it in the air every now and then, like a promise that it will be here soon. That helps. Keeping active is the hardest part, because it's so easy to curl up and hide in my stories, but I find it helps to do something with friends, they force you to keep going. My fav is getting the guys all together and going out in the woods with latex swords and boffer weapons and having mock battles.
When no one else is available though, my biggest guilty pleasure is video games. The Nintendo Wii has been a godsend this winter for keeping active.

J.K. Coi said...

That's a cute lolcat :)

I've been exercising with hubby too! It's great. I've really enjoyed the time with him and he helps me stay motivated.