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Winter Depression

Now I can’t speak for all people, but I believe I can speak for many when I say that winter really can bring on the doldrums for us if we don’t find some indoor outlet to keep ourselves busy. Lack of sunlight and outdoor time can have a very real effect on our mind and body. Whether it is just a lack of vitamin “D”, or cabin fever, this season has a way of making us feel miserable. You see, most of us Minimalists are outdoor people; after all, that’s where the world is, outside our front door. It’s easy to have very few material possessions if you’re seldom even home.

But when the winter comes ……. we spend a lot of time at home. More than we care to. Everybody does. At least that is the way it is up here in the northeast US. Now, for those who are actually into winter outdoor activities, all the power and love too you. Get down with the Skiing, Snow Shoeing, Snow Boarding, or whatever the it is you guys do. I commend you for that. As for me, I can’t stand the cold. I need the warm weather. But if I go more than a couple days without sunlight, I get depressed.

Over the years however, I have discovered many indoor activities (not necessarily home activities) that are my go-to for the winter season. Social, active, and/or skillful activities to “fill us up”, or add value in the cold dark winter. These include:

  • Roller skating at the roller rink.
  • Bowling
  • Pool (billiards)
  • Games with friends and family. Video, Card, and board. (I do this all year long actually).
  • Exercise classes at the gym.
  • Read a good novel.
  • Take on a small project. I once knew a lady who had a lot of down time, so she decided to make gingerbread candy houses for poor children who would otherwise not get much (if anything) for Christmas. Ya never know.
  • Winter is the perfect time to get started on whatever goals we have set for ourselves for the year, ya know, before the sunshine and good weather comes in and deviates us. I.E. If the Winter is dreary anyway, might as well get started on some of the boring steps on the path toward our goals for the year (think about it).

So much depends on where we live, as to what is available to us. I can only speak for the activities I have found. If anybody knows of any others, please comment on this post.

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A minimalist’s social life

“Keep your friends close, and keep your enemies ….. well ….. don’t keep your enemies.”

Not everyone that is blood to me do I consider family, and not everyone that I consider family to me is blood related.

Most important though. Much like the possessions in our lives, the people in our lives must add value to it. For starters this means that these people must be positive and uplifting; they must be encouraging and motivational.

To take this even further, I am going to assert that the people in our lives must be resourceful. What I mean is, the people in our lives must be giving enough to offer their resources in friendship to us. Even if that resource is something as simple as time. Or maybe just a helping hand. Sometimes it could even be just some insight, wisdom, or ideas. And sometimes, it’s just a comforting shoulder to cry on. All these things are small ……. but not really. In fact all these things are huge.

For me personally, everyone in my life that I spend more than an hour socializing with has a very specific and well defined purpose to me. I have only three categories that a person can fall into: family, co-worker (colleague), and stranger. I keep no acquaintances. To clarify, there are people that I know who are not family or colleagues to me, but I have not had more than an hours conversation with them. Meh, maybe two hours (one can spend as much as an hour talking about the weather). I don’t believe in “on again, off again” friendships, or “he’s good to be with when he (fill in the blank).”

FYI: The attached photo is me and a couple buds doing our best Zoolander look. I think it’s “Blue Steel,” maybe “La Tigra.”

 

 

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Ode to the Radio (“The things that remain” continued)

While I try to keep my media forms of entertainment to minimum (as you already know I don’t have cable TV) in an effort to block out garbage information from being absorbed in my mind, I do have a strong appreciation for radio. This is for two big reasons.

First, music is still the most pure, motivational, and inspiring form of entertainment I am aware of. Ever since I was a little boy, we almost always had the radio on in our home. Whether it was from a stereo receiver, or a tiny handheld, whether we were cleaning the house or just hanging out, we were always listening to what was on the air waves. It always made the home warmer. Music was there for me through all my best and worst times. Music has made me laugh, helped my cry, and inspired me to move forward.

Second, the information is always current and local. Well …… we can get current information from TV and any online media, but only with radio and local news papers do we learn of local news and events. As a social extrovert, I like to know about events in my area. Unfortunately online social media is not quite yet an adequate hub of information for local events. That is, if we know what we are looking for, we will find it through browsing online …… but that still requires that we already know what we are looking for. Personally, I have always incidentally learned of concerts, shows, and events of interest from the radio first, then followed up with them online.

Bonus reason: IT’S FREE. Besides the cost of the radio itself, and the electrical current to power the radio, there is no service charge to listen to radio. This is something that still blows my mind even today; the most wonderful form of entertainment we have is absolutely free. This is the reason XM and later SEROUS radio never took off; because even though commercial free radio is attractive, free radio will always be more attractive. Then once the smartphone became the norm, and PANDORA and i Heart radio became popular (also free), SEROUS became obsolete. The only price we pay for radio, is having to be exposed to garbage information in the form of ads. Excuse me for saying so, but TOTALLY WORTH IT.

It is for these reasons that I always have a good stereo receiver and speakers in my home (and almost always on), and in my vehicle (also on).