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Wintertime Blues

It's funny how the encourager has a hard time finding someone to encourage them. There is probably a quote attributed to the sense of the "savior needing saving" but I can't find it or don't feel like looking because I'm tired. Each part of the year has its own ebbs and flows, ups and downs  but winter is particularly rough for me. You see all my life I have relished in the fact that I love the summertime. I love the heat, humidity, sun, exposed skin, sweat, everything attributed to being in the warmer months of the year. Especially with being in a temperate climate (East Coast USA) I enjoy the fact that we get months of relief from the cold harsh winter. It also helps that my birthday is in July! This has always had an effect on me mentally though. I remember in my younger years just being sad when it was cold out or when it would get darker earlier that would have such a profound effect on me. A natural homebody, I would stay indoors if I did not have to be out and for a lot of my childhood I would simply go to school and return home not doing much outside of the house if it wasn't absolutely mandatory. In my twenties the streak continued even as I became more socially connected with my peers and growing  group of asssociates and friends from college and work. I still had an adverse reaction every year when the temperature turned cold. Now as an adult-adult in my 30s (because let's face it my 20 was nowhere near being an adult) I find myself with the same old habit of getting sad and less productive in the wintertime. Some studies have talked about S.A.D. or seasonal affective disorder and there are some people that don't believe that it is an actual thing. I'm here to tell you just for my own personal experience and again I am no mental health expert but I do know myself enough to know that the seasons changing definitely affect me. So with this short post I just want to bring awareness to the fact that you know yourself better than anyone else does and if you are finding yourself in a dark place during the winter months or during the holidays or during a time when you probably should feel better than you actually do... seek help. Talk to someone. I feel lucky that I have a village and there are times when I don't use the village that I have effectively, but I do have one and I can talk to my husband or my sister or my friends or my parents whenever I need to. They know when to check in on me and when to give me space, but it's important to not just relish in feelings of hopelessness or helplessness alone. Talk to someone. Mental Health is just as important as physical health. A therapist is not a scary thing. Take time to take stock of how you are feeling and seek professional help if needed. I know and love myself enough to know what's right for me. I also know that we have 6 more months until summer happy Black Friday folks!

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