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Winter check-in: What’s bringing you joy right now?
Winter can feel especially heavy… short days, long nights, disrupted routines, the mid-January slump. When you’re living with SMA, the seasonal doldrums can hit a little harder, both mentally and emotionally. So I wanted to open up a gentle check-in space here.
How are you doing? Are there any small snippets of joy getting you through these days? A show you’re rewatching, a warm drink, music, a creative outlet, a tiny win, or even just a moment of peace?
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5 Replies
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I’m not going to lie, I’m definitely feeling the doldrums of winter right now. January is always the month I struggle with the most when it comes to my mental health. That being said, there are a few things that are bringing me joy right now and helping time pass by quicker: 1) It’s playoff season for football, and my beloved Patriots are still in it! It’s been very fun to watch. 2) Once football is done, I have the Olympics to look forward to. Telling myself that there are things in my future to look forward to is definitely helping my mental health at this time.
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I also hibernate during this time of year, especially with winter storms and colder temperatures. It’s definitely more isolating, and January does feel especially Long. But on the flip side, I do enjoy having more time to watch movies, read, and work on my creative projects. My day job certainly keeps me busy, but since I’m indoors anyway, I have more time to write outside of work and maintain a productive schedule.
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You will have to give me some productivity tips because all I want to do these next couple of months is lay under a blanket, sleep, and watch TV/read. 😅
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The winters in the Pacific Northwest are much milder than they are in Rhode Island. I don’t miss Rhode Island Winters at all. Although it is too cold for me to walk down to the bay or go kite flying, I still get a fair amount of outdoor time in nature. There’s quite a bit of wildlife viewing we can do from the van. I spend about 30 minutes a night unwinding by listening to vinyl LPs. I have a couple of concerts I’m going to this winter. A week ago we went away for the weekend to do some wine tasting in Woodinville Washington. We went to five wineries that weekend. I enjoy going to Taqueria’s and taco trucks and finding a scenic place to eat the tacos in the van. During the winter months we tend to cook more at home. Two weeks ago we made my vovó’s Linguiça Rolls. I watch a lot of Seattle Kraken hockey. I occasionally go to the twice monthly Dockside market at the Marina. Being near the water and fishing boats is very comforting for me.
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This is the coldest and snowiest winter we’ve had in years. It’s terrible. I try to go outside for my mental health, but the cold is so harsh on my body that I would rather stay inside. My bones and joints are not a fan. We’re potentially getting a bomb cyclone this weekend on top of 18 inches of snow already on the ground. So, in other words, there’s no end in sight. Just lovely!
I didn’t realize you were Portuguese, too! Linguiça rolls sound delicious. Living in Seattle, who are you rooting for in the Super Bowl? Yes, there is a wrong answer here. 😉
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