Not winter, but not really spring. (photo credit)
Introduction
In Northwest Indiana, Mother Nature loves to tease us. Some days it seems like she tries to squeeze all four seasons into one day. Layering is a must and keeping extra sweaters or sweatshirts in your vehicle is always a good idea. Early Spring is always the toughest time I think.
Unlike fall where the autumn colors keep things lively until the first snow, early spring can be gray and dreary. The trees are still bare. The leaves haven’t budded out yet. The weather is crazy. A few days warm up enough to tease you into thinking that nice weather is around the corner only to snow the next day. My husband calls this season the gloom and doom of Northwest Indiana.
Despite the dreary days and drippy weather, all is not lost. Although summer may seem far off on the horizon, you can engage in a few activities to keep your mood up and your eyes on that sunny, blue sky in the summery distance.
1. Create Your Summer Bucket List
Let the excitement of planning summer fun carry you through the dim light of Early Spring. Think about what you want to do to have some fun this summer. Even though to-do lists are great, work is not the goal for this exercise. We are not working on a honey-do list. Sure. There’s a time and a place for that kind of list making, but not now. Equally important to our mental health are exercises that focus on positive and fun aspects of our lives.
For example, research fun day trips in your area. Definitely include a goal for engaging in your favorite summer activity. Top of my list is making it to the beach for sun and fun (and the relaxing sound of the waves). Despite the fact that list making might seem to be work, it can help you brainstorm things you want to do and note down events or activities you don’t want to forget. Then, post that list where you can see it each day, keeping that sunshine in your sights!
2. Light it Up!
Feeling the winter blues is common for lots of folks. Indeed for 10 million Americans, it is a diagnosed condition. Seasonal Affective Disorder. While most of us may not have the full-blown disorder, we can still benefit from what we’ve learned from its treatments. Light therapy has proven effective for many suffering from this condition.
What does that tell us? Let the light in. Sit in a sunny window or take a brisk walk on a sunny day. For even more intensive light immersion, you can look into the use of light box. These are much stronger than the everyday lights we use in our homes. Moreover, you can look at it as the prep for your summer-time sunshine fests.
Read More Here: Seasonal Affective Disorder
3. Build Your Summer Playlist
Hear me out. (See what I did there??) Without a doubt, music, and certain songs, can trigger memories. What better way, then, to get you in the summer mood than building an entire playlist. Take, for example, the song “Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses. I can’t hear that song without the smells and feels of a late July day coming to mind. No matter my mood before hearing it, once it starts playing I’ve got those good-time summer vibes flowing.
What songs bring summer to mind for you? Create that playlist and starting adding them when the mood strikes. Then, on those gray, gloomy and gusty days of March and April, put on your headphones and dip your toes into summer for a little bit.
4. Find Some Good Smells
Aromatherapy isn’t just for stress relief. In this case, we are conjuring all the feels of summer by capturing its scents. Whether you want to capture the beachy scents of lazy days at the lake or the clean smell of summer days, several candle companies have you covered. From tropical fragrances to clean linen, you can immerse yourself in the scents that bring summer into your home, regardless of what month it is.
Summer Reads
I mean, if you’re here, you’re a reader. Actually, this one feels like a gimmee. What better way to get yourself facing the fun of the summer? You can create a wish list in your Kindle app, on Amazon or in Goodreads. Not sure what you want to add to your list? No problem. Goodreads has you covered with existing lists like “Chick Lit for the Beach” and “Smart Summer Reads.”
Further, you can get a summer reads pile going and help your local library. Check out the used book table or sale at your community library. Then, you get a win-win. The library gets some money and you get to start the paperback stack that will entertain you on the hazy, lazy days of summer.
Read More Here: Goodreads
