When it’s cold outside we retreat like hibernating bears to our warm caves, except for necessary forays to the workplace and to gather food. Those caves can be awfully comforting when the weather outside is frightful, but indoor living can also lead to the blues or even depression. What to do?
The trick is to commit to doing something outside the cave. Something that you enjoy or care about enough to motivate you. Something that makes you want to get up and out of your cave and participate in the vibrant, real world. Here are some tried-and-true ways to fight back against that winter inertia and expand your mind/life at the same time:
- Be a temporary dog or cat owner: There are organizations that match volunteers with dogs and cats for various periods of time (called “fostering” – here’s more on that). This can also afford you the chance to find out if you would like to have a pet of your own, and meaningfully help out a local shelter. Research suggests that pet ownership leads to better mental and physical health, and the popularity of cat and dog videos on social media reveals how much all our hearts are opened by these furry beauties.
- Join a club:Â Doesn’t matter what kind – book club, knitting circle, music lovers, birders. Anything that you enjoy sufficiently to motivate you to leave your cozy cocoon. Being part of a group involves a commitment to that group, and the guilt about not showing up might be enough to propel you through the door of your cave. Or start a club in your own cave so you don’t even have to leave.
- Move your body:Â Yoga is a great indoor activity to help you stay in shape over the winter. For those who can’t or don’t want to yoga, tai chi is a marvelously graceful, meditative form of exercise. And if you crave something more aggressive, tai chi has a martial arts side you can gravitate to.
- Take a class: Find a seminar, talk or class in something that you’ve always wanted to explore. Jazz, female writers, movie making, screenplay writing, jewelry making. Take it seriously and it might lead to a whole new career. At the very least, you’ll meet people who share your interest and expand your social circle. If you’re in NYC, The Center for Social Innovation and the 92Y are both really good places to start looking.
- Volunteer: Local hospitals welcome volunteers to read to the elderly or children. Churches and community groups are eager to recruit people to help out in soup kitchens and take elderly folk to appointments. Animal shelters need help to walk dogs and socialize potential pets so they have a better chance at getting adopted. By helping others you will also be helping yourself, and the rosy glow of your cheeks will be matched by the rosy glow of your virtue.
And a few more just for New Yorkers:
- Explore NY: This wonderful city of NY has an ever-changing roster of events on offer daily, many of them free. Every Friday, the Weekend section of the New York Times lists a variety of things to do in all five boroughs. Concerts (rap, pop, classical – take your pick), movies, museums, comedy clubs, plays, walking tours – they’re all here. Arrange to do them with a friend so you don’t chicken out.
- Check out the new Whitney Museum: It’s crammed with young and interesting looking people and the art is amazing. Then walk the High Line to see your city from a whole new perspective.
- Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge: Why? Why not? It’s a fun thing to do that many tourists enjoy but locals don’t think to experience. And Brooklyn Park at the other end is awesome. End up by taking the ferry back to Manhattan and see your city from the water. It will make you proud and happy that you live here.
When all else fails and the winter blues persist… Count your blessings, plan a spring trip, and remember what the poet said – “If winter comes, can spring be far behind?”
I love the START A CLUB part. ? But isn’t that just inviting your friends over so you can do stuff that can kick out the blues? Well, sounds effective enough. I could imagine my friends laughing already because I’m thinking of calling them saying “Hey, we’re going to start a club.” ?
Whether it’s Winter blues you’re trying to cure or loneliness, it’s good to take note of these things listed in this article. It’s a simple act of cheering yourself up and getting yourself out there to socialize, but it’s what usually some of us fail to see that we really need. Personally, I wouldn’t last a day without hanging out with people, whether it’s my family or friends. So if others try to get through their week without even talking or hanging out with someone, that’s going to be an issue. Don’t let the cold bring your mood down.?
I’m scared about ‘fostering’ animals because it would break my heart if I need to return them. I can’t afford to have too much pets at home because I also work full time and I might not be able to take care of all of them.
If you’re too cold, choose activities that can help you feel warm! Like dancing or something! ?
Animals are the best way to defeat the blues. It’s okay if you can’t afford to get another cat or dog, but you can always volunteer for rescue.
Winter isn’t my thing because I get cold really fast, but then there’s nothing that can beat heat tech clothes that can still let you have fun even without the sun. I do try to do more activities during winter because it’s easier to stay cozy and warm when you’re on the go.?
I love winter but it’s crazy how you can’t do your normal activities just because it’s way too cold. I can’t even explain how much I miss the sun! And yet I never liked the sun until now!
What’s a little scary about winter blues is that sometimes if it’s not addressed quickly, it progresses into depression. I experienced that sometime around last year and it wasn’t an easy time in my life. I started to get really lonely and withrawn from activities. I’m usually fun-loving but winter just got me feeling all gloomy and less energetic. At first I thought it was just me feeling tired, until I realized that even after just waking up in the morning, I’m already looking forward to going back to bed to sleep. I started to ignore calls from my friends and would make excuses not to go out, even if it was to have fun. My emotions were probably rooted somewhere else other than the winter blues, but it made it worse.
Hi, I hope you feel better now.
Soup kitchens would be great, especially if it’s for the unfortunate. It’s not just us that’s freezing at home. Imagine those who are homeless that are still on the streets fending for themselves. I’m considering on doing that about next week, I’m just trying to get my groceries and supplies complete. It’s not really easy to cook in big batches. I’m planning on handing out warm soup/food for the homeless. I can’t really find a proper location so I’m just planning on driving by and distributing them. It has nothing to do with beating my own Winter blues but for the Winter blues of others.? Happy to help everyone in their own battles.
That’s an inspiring thing to do.
It’s so cold outside I don’t even want to go out. But it’s been really lonely at home when you’re forced to just watch Netflix or browse social media half of the time.