My annual list of SAD coping strategies

Seasonal depression is hard

Current mood: wilty as the artemisia in my front yard

I feel like crap.

I thought I knew why — job hunting, business building, various life stressors, the state of the world, *waves hands* all this.

(Those are all totally valid reasons for feeling like crap, btw.)

However, I remembered today that I pretty much always feel like crap this time of year. I have this weird amnesia around seasonal depression. I forget that I have it, or I think it won’t be too bad this year, or I wonder if maybe I was imagining it all along… then boom! It hits me like a sack of moldy potatoes.

It is most definitely hitting me right now, which means it’s time to share my annual list of SAD coping skills. It’s a reminder to me, and to you, that winter sucks, but it’s just a season. Like all seasons, it passes.

Things that help me cope with seasonal depression

• Remember that I have friends. I have a tendency to withdraw in winter. Sometimes I need that, but sometimes I take it too far. I’ve learned that when I’m feeling extra down, reaching out to a friend — via text, Zoom, or IRL — usually makes me feel better.

• Give myself permission to do less. Regular commenters, perhaps you’ve noticed that I’m not replying to you as often as usual. I still love you! I’m also in energy-conservation mode, so I’m giving myself permission to do less in a lot of areas — including the comments section.

• Look for the colors of winter. I play a game with myself whenever I go outside in winter — how many different colors can I spot today? A red winter berry, an orange-breasted robin, a purple thread on the ground. It helps me find beauty and novelty in a season that seems, on the surface, to lack both.

• Use a HappyLight every morning. I feel like a broken record, but it really works.

• Go for a walk. I know, I know. The weather is cold and gross, and I’d much rather hide under a cozy blanket. But I always feel better after I take a walk, even if it’s just to the mailbox.

• Buy flowers. I love flowers. They make me feel joyful, and bringing them inside is like giving myself a little taste of spring.

• Consume comfort media. January is not the time to edify myself with great literature or books on craft. I don’t have the energy for it, and that’s okay. Instead, I’m watching Star Trek reruns and reading whimsical, light-hearted novels.

• Create what feels good. For me right now, that’s needle felting, journaling, and the occasional flash fiction piece. My big projects will have to wait. The point isn’t to make great strides on my long-term creative goals; it’s just to keep the spark alive.

• Make a winter fun list. Winter sucks a lot less for me when I schedule fun things to look forward to — big things like going to a musical or small things like buying a special coffee. (Note to self: perhaps my current lack of a winter fun list is contributing to my sour mood? I amaze myself with these insights.)

• Remember that it passes. It always passes. Seasonal depression sucks, but it is seasonal. When nothing else works, I remind myself that these feelings are temporary. They, like everything, will pass, likely sooner than I think.

Thanks for sticking with me through a tough season. I’ll perk back up in a few weeks (I always do). In the meantime, I’m so grateful you’re here.

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