The thing about the winter months (especially here in Michigan) is that the lack of sunlight and dropping temperatures that legitimately feel like needles individually being placed in each exposed pore of the body…is that it can kind of make you sad as fuck. Seasonal depression sucks ass and sometimes it can feel like it’s getting darker and colder with each daunting day, I’m here to tell you that the winter months don’t have to blow absolute dick! I have compiled some of my favorite ways to pull myself out of the winter blues, so crank your heat, sit down, and take some notes you sad fuck.
Lunch, Breakfast & Brunch Oh My!
Sometimes all you really need in life is a good old Bloody Mary before noon, a shared breakfast with your gals, or a lunch date with an old friend to bring ya back to that happy place of yours. I am a creature of habit; so much so that it is borderline unhealthy how meticulously I plan each 24 hour period of my life… (Seriously I plan my days in 30 minute increments). Something that helps me break up my mundane routine and give me some good old fashion human interaction is sharing a meal with someone other than my phone. It’s so SO easy to get stuck in a rut doing the same shit every day. Call a friend, catch up with your mom, shit honestly, even drag yourself to some coffee shop on a Sunday morning and mix up your day to day. Your soul will thank you.
Air BnB Regulars
Something my friends and I LOVE to do are weekend getaways. There is nothing better than getting to look forward to a weekend away from your town to spend three days with good company, shitty junk food, and endless drinks (Ultimate girls weekend guide coming soon FYI). Even if it’s a place up north just 2 hours away, it’s still something different, out of the regular weekend norm and also a set in stone plan so all your flake friends have to show up hahaha. Getting away for the weekend in the winter months is a perfect opportunity to clear your mind, clear your schedule, and spend time with people you give a shit about in a place other than the regular shitty bars you’ve been dragging yourself to all season. SNOOZE.
Game Nights + Booze = 🙂
Okay call me annoying (and 80 years old) but there’s nothing I love more than a good night in with a few (3) bottles of wine (each); some Cards Against Humanity, Mario Kart, Scattegories, UNO (shut the fuck up it’s a classic), or some Quiplash (if you don’t know what that is please look it up you won’t be dissapointed). If you’re ballin’ on a budget this option is PRIME for you. It requires minimal effort, little to no cash transactions, and you don’t have to travel far. Sometimes going out on the weekends can be really draining when you really aren’t spending time with people; you’re really just slowly slipping into a blackout in a dark loud crowded bar where you just keep nodding and smiling at people who keep trying to talk to you. Maybe I just have fucking hearing problems or my ADD is really out of hand but fr who the fuck can socialize in these settings. Sorry, bye.
Love Yo Body, Love Yo Mind
Winter is the perfect time to focus on yourself. Whether it means getting back into the gym, or switching up your workouts if you’re already into the gym, loving your body is KEY for seasonal sadness. Even better, if you’re ready to get really extra you can look in to getting a personal trainer, a membership to a yoga studio, cycle studio, or another group fitness studio just to switch things up. Plus, once you get addicted to shopping for workout clothes you’ll be hooked even further (see photo above of my third trip to Lulu this week). My day is always 100% turned around when I finish a workout. Once you get those endorphins pumpin’ you will soon become addicted to not only the physical changes your body is making, but the mental clarity you’ll feel which brings me to the second half of this subheading- Love yo MIND. Winter is such a good time to pick up a new hobby. Get creative, start reading more books, learn a new skill, redo a room in your house, cook more, utilize a planner or start a journal. There are literally endless possibilities for creative outlets and ways to keep you occupied.
Self Tanners & Skin Routines
Right now I’m having some serious skin issues so I have been taking really good care of my skin to attempt to combat the dryness and irritation I’ve been experiencing. Winter can DRY the fuck out of your skin. Using a good exfoliator or scrub on your body in the shower is not only relaxing but super good for your skin’s health and cell regeneration. Following your shower routine with a good moisturizer and lotion are also a must. Something I used to always do in the cold months was purchase a tanning membership. Considering this is super hard on your skin and I’m not going to promote skin cancer, but instead, promote my new love: Self tanners. I’m obsessed with the brands Coco & Eve and Tan Physics. It keeps you feeling confident even when you’re out of the sun and feeling somewhat more out together. Amazon is bae for this.
So whether you love the winter months or you’re craving that summer Vitamin D like I am, there’s always a silver lining to any situation. Follow one of these tips or two or five and watch your winter blues subside, even just for a day. May your seasonal depression dip, and your spirits rise this season.
Until next week,
xoxo,
Carlie Bradshaw
Sex & The Suburbs 