Take A Break from the Winter Blues in Colorado

Some people, like me, experience the winter doldrums this time of year. You might be away from your family, or just the gray days have got you down.

Sometimes you need a break from work, home, or quite frankly, from your own mind.

If winter has you feeling down, you can try some of these things to ease that feeling.

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Look at old pictures. I have lots of boxes of pictures. From old family vacations and college days to pictures of new friends and at least one box full of pictures of my girls in various stages of their lives until now. Most people have lots of pictures on their phones nowadays, but there’s something about going through old photo albums, with actual printed photos, and remembering times of your past.

Call someone you haven’t talked to in a while. Maybe it’s an old friend, or even an older relative. My sister checks in on our “elders”, just to make sure they are doing ok. It seems that some of their own children don’t check in on them as much as she does.

Go for a stroll. Some days it’s a little too cold to go outside for a walk, but if you work in an office building and can take a walk through the hall, it might do you some good. It even gives you a little exercise, which is good too.

In the evenings, after our kids go to bed, I usually read. I know a lot of people that listen to “books”, but I prefer holding the book in my hand and actually turning the pages to see what happens next. Reading can be a good break from all the screens we use every day.

Write a letter to someone. I’m not talking about an email either. Sit down with pen and paper and write an actual letter. Even if you never mail it, putting thoughts on paper can make you feel better.

You can’t really do this at work, but another thing that seems to make me feel better is cooking and baking. This is especially true if I’m making something new, although sometimes it can be difficult, knowing that whatever I’m making for the first time, might not turn out as good as I hope it will. The only thing I don’t like about cooking and baking is all the cleanup that has to be done along with it.

I also have found that throwing rocks in an open field is a great stress reliever for me. I wouldn’t recommend it if you live right downtown, but out in the country you can typically find an open area where you won’t hit anything with those rocks.

One thing my sister always suggests, is to find a stream or pond to sit next to, even if it’s only for five minutes. The soothing sound of the water can replace all those noises in your head, and help you feel a little calmer for the rest of your day.

My favorite break is to sing. This might be difficult if you are working in a fully staffed office, but even if you sing quietly, it can help. I find myself driving around town, to run errands at “lunchtime” with the radio blasting while I’m singing as loud as possible. In fact, Healthline.com published an article, with purportedly scientific evidence, that singing is good for your body and mind. Even if you sing off-key (my kids tell me I do), there’s something about singing that makes almost everyone feel better. Lucky for us, we have music on all day long. If you visit the radio station, chances are you will hear someone singing. And if you do visit, hopefully you’ll sing along with us.