How to Avoid Summer Blues

Summer is here. It doesn't feel like it when it's in the 50s and raining all the time, but never mind. I'm blessed to have about eight weeks off from school. Other than one week's holiday we're taking later this month, I have nothing on my agenda. 

"That sounds wonderful!" you might be thinking. You are mistaken. When I have nothing to do, I get sad and make cookies. And eat them. Especially if it's raining. I sleep too much. I don't get out of my pajamas. I faff around and troll Facebook and blogs all day. I grumble. I complain. I am discontent.

What helps? Structure, being outside, eating right, exercise, entertaining friends, having fun things to look forward to. Duh. Does this come to my mind when I am depressed? No. So what do I have to do? Write it down and post it everywhere.

Here are some of my motivational posters that are all around the house right now.

I got this idea from my friend Katy, who I saw in Florida this spring. She had one of these for her family for their Spring Break. All of these things on my Summer 2012 list are doable for Nathan and/or me, with the exception of "See the cliffs of Dover." I thought we were going to Dover this summer, but we're not. We're going to Dartmouth, which is in Devon. Big difference, apparently. There's lots to look forward to, isn't there? I am so blessed!

This is on my wardrobe door. I don't actually check the boxes every day, but I do in my mind. I really like checking boxes. Right now I've been keeping 12 a.m.-9 a.m. sleeping hours, but need to work on that. By the way, the "4 big cups water" is bigger than your average big cup. It's massive. I really struggle to get enough water because I'm just not that thirsty very often. 

This is also on my wardrobe door. I'm finding that not going downstairs first thing in the morning unless I am in my workout clothes is helping me get out the door to exercise. Light bulbs!

This is the first thing I see in the morning because it's on the side of the dresser, which is next to the bed. I suppose the first hard thing I can do is get up at 8, which isn't really that hard. I have to gear up for the hard stuff after I put my feet on the floor, namely an Insanity DVD or a run.

This is on the hall closet door. I tend to aim for perfection, and when I fail, I just give up.

When I put in an Insanity DVD, which Pamela is graciously letting me borrow, I stare at this post-it so I won't run screaming toward some cookie dough or curl up into a ball and cry.

This is on the other side of my computer keyboard to help me avoid throwing the laptop out of the window when I feel like killing Sean T or that annoying girl Tanya who can do all of the Insanity exercises with a cheeky grin on her face.

I have half a dozen more post-its, two in the pantry, two in the fridge, and two more on the hallway walls upstairs. They keep me motivated to eat right and exercise. Nathan just laughs at me, but he's also done the Insanity videos with me. I may be converting him with my quiet and gentle spirit.