Here's to fighting the winter blues

Screen Shot 2016-02-11 at 10.16.01 AM Although February is short, it's probably my least favourite month. It's like a constant state of exhaustion. You go to sleep tired, you wake up more tired. I don't understand how that even works.

Author Sarah Dessen tweeted this, which made me laugh:

I think the winter blues are a real thing, and here's how I'm fighting them -- with lots of my favourite things.

1. I'm reading blogs.

I don't normally read too many blogs, but this winter I have. My current favourites are Flower Patch Farmgirl (she's a gem in real life, too!), Hannah Brencher, and Flannery O'Connor. All right, I know Flan doesn't have a blog, (she and I are on nickname level friendship now) but I've been reading her Prayer Journal which feels more personal and vulnerable than a blog might feel. I hope she doesn't mind the millions of people reading her journal entries. They have comforted me considerably. I wish I could thank her.

I think I like all of these women so much because they are raw and open and real about God, and in the middle of winter I really don't want any more fluff.

2. Summer candles.

These are the candles I keep lighting: lemonade, mango tango, and grapefruit. If you close your eyes, you're basically on instant summer vacation.

3. Cuddling my boyfriend nephew.

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I wish everyone had a baby nephew. I wish everyone could hold their nephew and stare into his deep blue dazzling eyes, and wonder why their chest is hurting -- quickly realizing it's because their capacity to love is literally growing deep within them. I have loved more in the past three weeks than I have in my life. Noah Justice is the kindest, smartest, most beautiful baby in this entire world -- and yes, I know I'm biased, but I think you would agree if you knew him.

4. Starting each day the same. 

I don't generally love routines, but for this year I think I have found a routine in the morning that really works for me. A few people have asked me about it, so I figured I may as well share. It might be too long or too short for you, but it works for me!

  1. I begin with my bullet journal. I heart my bullet journal so much.
  2. I read the daily devo from My Utmost For His Highest, which I am madly in love with.
  3. I write in my journal. I used to only use my bullet journal, but I really missed long form writing. Since I've started up again, I feel like my head is clearer to begin my day.
  4. I read my Bible -- following a three year reading plan. Last year I made it my goal to finish my Bible in a year. It was great, but I felt so much stress! It was always about the goal, instead of about what I was reading. This year I'm trying this -- it's slower and I can savour it more. No stress, and there's more time to get it inside of me.

Now that it's Lent, I've switched a few things around to focus more on the journey to the cross, but the essence of it is the same. This is working really well for me.

5. Prison Break.

Oh my gosh, I forgot how much I love this show. I flew through the first season on Netflix, intermingling with my other new-to-me favourites, Grey's Anatomy and The Office. I still haven't finished Gilmore Girls because I don't want it to end. I also am working my way through Lost.

I can only read one book at a time, but I can have seventeen hundred shows in my brain at once. Although I think I've been watching too much Prison Break because I've started to dream about it:

 So this is what's helping me fight my winter blues. Tell me what your favourites are this winter! 

PS. Thank you so much for all of your support with my previous blog post. I don't think I've ever been so encouraged. 

Happy Thursday, pals.