This winter in West Michigan has been quite mild compared to other winters. Winter can still be a struggle, especially when dealing with depression. I’ll use examples of this past weekend.
Plan ahead of time!
Don’t just wing it. My worst weekends are those that I have nothing planned.
A little structure goes a Long way. It’s easy to get in the mindless habit of binge watching shows. There’s nothing wrong with doing that occasionally but it gets to the point where you can barely remember what she watched the previous day.
On Saturday, I was scheduled to meet my book club Wolfpack members, Melody and Amy, at Schuler’s café for coffee and conversation. We canceled this the night before because I had close contact with a resident who contracted Covid (I have tested negative so far).
I rolled with Plan B by working on this blog and getting on my computer to complete a continuing education course on human trafficking. It’s a frightening and fascinating subject.
Rest of the afternoon was leisure time watching college basketball (including my Michigan State Spartans), getting my shower, and watching The Holdovers.
Balance productivity with fun
Examples I used above such as working on continuing education credits for social work via website.
Watching movies and sports such as football or basketball is fun for me. If the weather is tolerable, I may bundle up and get outside for a while. Those are rare for someone in a wheelchair in Michigan. Other examples could be hiking, skiing, indulging on guilty pleasures, etc. Can you turn it off
Connect socially
When not grounded by Covid protocol, I try to get into the community. Meeting my homies with the wolfpack book club, attending church or interacting with staff and other residents here at Sojo’s.
I learned early on into my injury of the need to schedule visits ahead of time. I would accidentally double book visits or overwhelm myself with too many visits in one day.
Therapeutic time
You may recall a post I had recently regarding therapy time in the therapy gym. I duck into the gym on winter weekends. Nobody else is there and there is a lot of natural light.
I will listen to music, meditate, or work on the blog.
Whether you live in a cold or warm climate, in a wheelchair or not, I encourage all to be mindful seeking balance in your life. Please send any comments or ideas you have.
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