What Do You Do When You're Fighting the Blues? Three Strategies That Help Me Every Time

I took a few comp days off work to savor the colors and smells of autumn. My plan was to return to a teeny cabin in Seward to write and relax before the first snowfall.

I envisioned this.

And then I woke up.

Oops!

Snow continues to fall on this 23rd day of September in Anchorage, and is accumulating in great quantities, and not far behind comes the bitter cold and constant darkness that marks Alaska’s winters. It will be May before Alaskans can leave their homes with simple shoes and a thin overcoat again.

I have lived in Alaska for more than 44 years of my life. You’d think I’d get used to it, right?

Sadly, I do not. Seasonal Affective Disorder pulls me in like it does so many others, and by April, I hardly recognize my darker personality. Sleepless. Sluggish. Snappish.

Fortunately, I’ve found a few things that have helped.

1) I become deliberate about what I watch on television and read.

For example, right now, I’m reading The Paris Wife, a well-written novel about Ernest Hemingway’s first wife. It’s a dreary read, and had I known winter was making an early arrival, I’d have started with Justin Halpern’s I Suck at Girls. Much funnier. And I re-read my favorite post on zenhabits.org called Gett Off Your Butt: 16 ways to get motivated when you’re in a slump.

2) I exercise outdoors.

I’m no marathon runner, but getting my heartrate up while ingesting a little vitamin D is my best antidepressant.

3) I stay connected.

It’s so counter-intuitive when I’m low and want to shut myself off from humans. But being with friends, family, being with my blogging community is critical to pushing through the funk.