As an experiment, this year I decided to give myself permission to not do shit I don’t feel like doing during the winter misery season (roughly from the end of October until the Winter Solstice). I didn’t realize this was a good idea until a few weeks ago, but as soon as I did it, I felt a zillion times better.
All the “shoulds” went away. No more “I should go to Aikido, even though the mat will be cold and I’m fried from work and my fibro is acting up so it will hurt.” No more “I should clean the apartment, even though what I really want to do is read a book.” No more “I should do holiday cards, even though what I really want to do is watch TV with Nate.” No more “I should be blogging every week, even though I can’t really think of much to write about and would rather play Borderlands on my XBox.” No more “I should go be social, even though the thought of being around people makes me want to bite someone.”
Admittedly, my inner Puritan was appalled (and still is), and has a whole list of things I didn’t do that is so long I am obviously the worst person in the world. Idle hands, etc.
But. I am coming out of the misery season way faster than I remember doing in past years. It’s not even January yet and my motivation is returning! I do kind of wish I’d done all those shoulds, but that’s okay. Maybe I will feel more up to them next winter. Maybe I won’t! Either way, that’s okay.
I’m actually kind of excited to get back to all those activities I’ve been letting fall by the wayside, and that feels a million times better than I would with a longass list of shoulds hanging over my head, or being exhausted from forcing myself to do them instead of sleeping more and just chilling out. Hell, I even have a handful of blog entry ideas!
Plus, I have finished a hell of a lot of missions in Borderlands. My sniper is level 62 now, and closing in on 63. Hell yeah!
