Ever since “falling back” when Daylight Savings Time ended on Sunday, November 7th, I started feeling symptoms of depression coming on. Seasonal Affective Disorder is common among people with bipolar disorder. I have mentioned before that I live in a northern climate. The darker weather with fewer hours of sunlight had taken its toll on me at first. Maybe it was the increase in my medication, but a few days ago, I started to feel better. I started to lean into the November gloominess.

I started listening to jazz. It reminds me of fond memories from my childhood. Here is a great playlist of Jazz Classics I found on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/37i9dQZF1DXbITWG1ZJKYt

I also decided to do any other small things that bring me moments of joy. I go for walks outside in the woods near my home, to breathe the fresh oxygen from the trees. On these cold, dark nights, I drink a lot of hot tea in the evenings, especially chai. Lately I am obsessed with cooking and eating soup. Hot soup and tea makes me feel cozy. I’m ready to start bundling up and wearing thick socks and boots. Now I’m in the mood to work on crocheting and knitting projects. I’m ready to be a grandma — I just love all things grandma.

I went to Dollar Tree and bought some cute holiday decorations. Decorating for the holidays brings me joy. I’m going to put up a small tree this week. I’m looking forward to it. My holiday decor theme is icicles and snowflakes. All my ornaments are white, silver, and blue. I plan to bake some cookies soon and let the aroma fill my home with sweetness.

What do you do to combat Seasonal Affective Disorder? What little things bring you joy? Comment below 🙂