Hibernation

Much like a mighty Grizzly, I have spent much of the last two months hibernating.

 The beginning of winter is tough for me. The first snowflake, while beautiful, reminds me that the days are getting shorter, and the holidays are quickly approaching. I inevitably start thinking about less light, less kindness, and less patience; I dread Christmas and imposed time with family. For some reason, during that time of year, work is exponentially more stressful – that final push toward the end of the year is always a struggle.

So I hibernate.

Every day after work, when I should be working out, spending time with friends, or cooking dinner for my family, I tunnel under the covers on my bed and turn out the lights. I binge-watch meaningless television, start endless numbers of crochet projects, and cuddle with my dog. I read four books in December, and started a 5^th. Inevitably the house gets messier, laundry goes undone, and errands are pushed off until the next day (and then the next). The cats run out of food. The snack cupboard develops cobwebs. Cereal is the preferred dinner.

Still, I hibernate.

What is that affliction called…? Yeah, Seasonal Affective Disorder. I have that, and isn’t it so telling that the acronym is SAD?  This disorder is a type of depression that’s related to the changes in seasons. It usually begins in the fall, and continues through into the winter months, sapping energy and affecting mood.

Hence the hibernation.

There is a big change happening in my life in the next month. Everything I do from now until the beginning of February will be in preparation for the “new” me. I’ll keep you posted, but until then, please wish me luck. Send some good juju my way, and hope for the end of this perpetual winter ennui. Fingers crossed that my hibernation will soon end.