Debora Dale Alt logo
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
where fear and passion collide
Debora Dale Alt logo
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
where fear and passion collide

It’s inevitable – for me at least. The cold winter months linger, the holidays and visiting end, and the days become shorter, less sunny, less inviting. Here in New York, we can count on nasty weather from here until at least the end of March. It’s only about 10 weeks, but what a long, drawn-out ten weeks they can be.

During the warmer months, it was nice to take my laptop or notebook and sit in the park to work. Daughter would play basketball or run. I’d join her on a bike ride and maybe we’d sit at the marina for a quick alfresco lunch. Wonderful.

Now that the temperature hovers around freezing out there, with beautiful white snow reduced to city slush, the last thing I want to do is spend unnecessary time outside. And yet, a house can feel oppressive after a while – cabin fever and all that.

So how do you beat those winter blues?

I read somewhere that one way to do it is to pick a closet, any closet, and empty it. I can hear you now – “Huh?!” Well, after you empty it, sort through it all. Dump what you don’t use and give away the rest. GIVE AWAY the rest. It’s that act of clearing out, purging, and giving to those without that helps clear the winter blues in ways we don’t expect.

You know how when you write a great block of prose, you can’t resist reading it again? Think of how it makes you feel. Then think about how the house looks immediately after you (or someone else) has tidied and cleaned it. You WANT to look at it. You WANT to show it off.

It’s that same way with that closet. Or cupboard. Or drawer. Take one small task you’ve been avoiding and push yourself to start it – because most times, starting is the hardest part. Once you’ve finished, chances are you’ll itch to do more – even if only for the reward of having it DONE.

Keep pushing yourself to start. Choose one task per day – or week – or whatever. Just do it. You’ll not only have a less-cluttered living space, you’ll also limit the time you have to dwell on the winter blahs.

Just do it.