Dark winter days used to make me melancholy. (Exhibit A: This panicky post from 2008!) But over the years, I’ve figured out some hacks, and even though I’m someone who struggles with anxiety and depression, I’m feeling hopeful that this winter might actually be…nice? Cozy? Fun?!
Here are a few ideas:
* Take long walks with podcasts
* Cook your way through your favorite cookbook
* Invite a couple friends over for games, like Spyfall or Codenames
* Watch your tried-and-true comfort movie (and, if you can’t think of one, watch Palm Springs)
* Burn the world’s sexiest incense *fans herself*
* Host a small cookie swap or articles club
* Or just invite a few people for a potluck
* Ask a friend to name his or her favorite book and then read it yourself
* (Bonus points if you read in bed while eating Reese’s Pumpkins)
* Go to a museum and look at one piece of art
* Light taper candles at dinner (it’s instantly magical)
* Watch a super famous movie you’ve somehow never seen
* Interview a parent or sibling one evening on the phone
* Grab a few magnolia branches for your home; they’re beautiful and last forever
What do you do to stay cheerful in the winter (other than live in California, haha)? I’m curious and would love to hear. Here are seven more ideas, if you’d like.
P.S. Four hilarious Instagram comedians, and a birthday revelation.
(Photo by Giada Canu/Stocksy.)