Breaking Up The Blues

Now that we’re in mid-January, it can be easy to fall into the winter blues. 
After three weeks to recover from the holidays, we’re back into our normal routines of school or work. 
Meanwhile, the sub-zero temperatures of this past weekend have kept most people cooped up inside, and that can quickly lead to cabin fever. 
In order to break up the blues, I think we should all try to incorporate more new, unusual, and/or spontaneous activities into our lives. 
Recently, an opportunity for one such activity presented itself to me and I knew I had to take it. So around noon on Saturday my mother and I took a weekend road trip down to Des Moines, Iowa. 
We got there around 4 p.m. on Saturday and checked into our hotel. We went out to dinner and saw a comedian who had been recommended by one of my mother’s co-workers. Then we went back to the hotel and talked while we watched some television together. 
The next day, we met up for brunch with one of my mother’s longtime friends who lives in Des Moines. By about noon, we were on our way back to Minnesota. 
It wasn’t a long trip, but it was a way to get out of town and do something fun and different. It also gave me a chance to spend some quality time with my mother, which can be hard when you have multiple siblings. 
I know some people may not be able to leave town for a whole weekend, but I encourage you to look for ways to add some variety to your routine. 
The saying goes, ‘If you don’t vote, you can’t complain.’ Well, I think the same philosophy holds true for the winter blues. ‘If you don’t try something different, you can’t complain.’  
So go ahead and try something outside of your comfort zone. You may be surprised by how much you enjoy it.