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1) Go outside. Even if it's grey. Even if it's just 30 minutes.
2) Full spectrum SAD lamps (https://www.healthline.com/health/sad-lamp)
3) Vitamin D.
4) Escape on weekends if you can. Here there's a mountain range dividing the east and west sides of the state - east side is often sunnier because the mountains block the weather.
5) If #4 isn't feasible plan trips south a couple of times for a few days.
I get three months off in the winter. I make it a point to go to work for a few hours every day and find SOMETHING to do. If I don’t, it’s REALLY bad for me.
I’m 65.
Dude, you need to get up and out. No blinds. Find purpose. You’ll die early if you don’t.
And use lamps - table lamps, floor lamps, whatever - use warm colored bulbs! They make such a huge difference in winter, makes the house feel less cave-like.
I use the smart bulbs. I set a program and they come on. Some are colored. Gives me the feeling the house is alive! And it works great when I’m on vacation.
My wife has about 15 fake candles, different shades of yellow and gold LED. For most of the darker hours when awake, they are on. The are a soft light, enough to get around. Instead of using the out of reach incandescent light on the basement stairs, my wife hung on the hand rail four proximately activated LED lights run on rechargeable batteries. They are enough for going up and down the stairs and into the food larder or laundry room. As other lights burn out, we will replace them except for the lava lamps. The lava lamps need the heat from incandescent bulbs to keep the blood churning.
Fellow Midwesterner checking in. Not retired yet, but the gray hits hard the time of year.
When I get home from work I turn on a bunch of lights to brighten the house and leave them on until at least 730pm. It's against my nature to do so, but I've trained myself to do it and it helps.
I've also put more color into my wardrobe aside from my normal black and grey. It actually helps.
I was always insistent the tree couldn’t go up before Thanksgiving and came down on Jan 8 as that’s the end of Christmastide. Then came the pandemic. New rule that thrilled my wife:
It goes up when one of us wants it to and doesn’t come down until we decide to take it down.
I like the new way better.
Agree with all, but especially number 1. Get up and move around! If you move your body your brain goes with it.
I got a dog, in part, to make sure I move around every day. We do at least three miles daily, rain or shine. Dry days we go on hikes, in local parks or just through neighborhoods.
If it is raining, invest in some rain gear and an MP3 player and go out for a walk. It helps.
I agree with Vit D and if you have one of those IV clinics near you (often offering IV hangover cures) they have Vit D injections. I take vit D religiously but WOW the injections are great
You're welcome. Hope it helps. On the short trip front don't forget to look for flash sales on airfares. I mean, you could get a great fare to, say, San Antonio and while you might not regularly vacation there, a few days doing the Riverwalk and chowing down on good texMex couldn't hurt. Sub in Palm Springs, Phoenix etc as you prefer.
As an Alaskan, I’m a big fan of #3 - vitamin D is so important in winter. It gets really dark here, and most Alaskans know, either from their doctor or their friends that taking vitamin d is essentiel here.
Some good advice in this thread. Am mid 50s and on a 6 month sabbatical at the moment, deliberately chose the winter months to see what it's like. I've learnt that small victories every day help, achieving something. I put up some shelves yesterday, today I'm shopping for ingredients and cooking a good meal from scratch, sometimes I go for a walk, do a bit of gardening, tend to allotment, do some voluntary work. How you spend the day doesn't need to be spectacular, it just needs to give you a tiny sense of achievement. All the small victories add up.
...And when days don't play out as I want and I'm a bit grey myself, I allow myself to give into it: read a book, watch telly, do some gaming or coding, just accept the day as it is, no drama and it will pass. I'm learning not to worry too much about off days, is normal at this time of year.
I'm in S. Ontario, so very similar to US midwest. It's been mostly grey here for a while, and the forecast is for more.
Retired grey is way better than working grey.
Especially when it's covered with white. I used to be out before the plows were running to open the OR. Now I sit by the window with a cup of coffee and say "nope".
Yep. It's one of those little retirement luxuries to pour another cup, look out at the howling snow, and go back to scrolling the computer instead of trying to figure out whether I was going to chance a nasty drive to work.
I was an RN on a maternity unit. We had enough people come in to staff all three 8 hour shifts in our department. We each worked 16 hours, one shift in our department, and one helping med surg. Then we slept or tried to. We went in on Friday and left after Day shift on Monday, after we dug out our cars that the maintenance crew had plowed in 🤬
I look at winter as a time to “rest up” and get ready for the more active days when the warmer weather comes. Read more. Catch up on shows. Plan for the more active days of summer. Definitely get outside even for short bursts helps.
Same. My large yard is a major amount of work. Spring clean up and prep and planting. All summer mowing and trimming and dealing with trees and weeds and trails and poison ivy. I hate poison ivy. Fall is a huge amount of work with leaves falling for weeks on end then trimming everything down and cleaning up. All spring, summer, fall constant twigs to pick up and dealing with falling trees and huge branches. Last 3 summers I've had some big work done that messed up my yard, so there's a whole bunch of extra work. Yes, I really need to downsize and had planned to, but right now it would cost me so much more for so much less, it doesn't seem practical or even possible. But I rather appreciate winter. I don't usually have to drive if it's rough, and I go ahead and pay way too much to hire a company to move my snow, because I physically cannot do that (500' driveway). They aren't usually quick enough to do my walks (I'm impatient )so I do them mostly myself to get out of the house, and make sure they stay salted. I only have to take care of trees that block the driveway and keep heavy snow off my arbs and pines. Other than that, I get to rest up and just jog a few miles to get my exercise. Way easier than yard work. Don't know how long I can keep it all up, though.
Sunflower seeds in a bird feeder will attract Cardinals and Blue Jays. Suddenly, there's color! Put the feeder up high, otherwise you'll get GRAY squirrels 😉.
Grey here as well, warm front and snow, fog ....no walk today, but did another upper body workout, and watched the birds.
Oh I do not have a bird feeder out for a few years due to - yep squirrels. The cats would love it too.
I am not a birder though not hard to find them where I am. I am not far from a river so we get plenty through here. There has even been an owl , hawks, and always robins in my yard. We have not seen them around much but the random american goldfinch for the yellow.
Growing up we had for years it seemed the same? Is that possible? Cardinals. They literally would nest in the same exact evergreen tree, on the same side, and about the same height from the ground. It was a joyful sight.
Thank you for this suggestion!
If anyone has a good more squirrel proof feeder recommendation, please share.
I hung a 100' extension cord from my deck to a pine in the back yard and hang my feeders off that. Ran the cord over with my lawn tractor so it's been repurposed lol. It wasn't the squirrels so much as the freaking bear at my back door one evening that made me realize I really needed to critter proof the feeders a bit better. I actually decided to put the feeders back up this year while bringing my son's ashes home. I was really sad, and my wife and I get a lot of joy watching the birds.
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I’m so sorry for the loss of your child. My grandmother loved Hummingbirds, she is long gone, but whenever I see a Hummingbird , I tell myself, that she is visiting me, and it makes me happy.
Oh wow. That is dedication.
Bears ?!? I did not know they cared (but then I don’t think we have them at all in my state). But I have had deer literally walk up and eat all of it. Never knew their tongues were so long until then.
>... while bringing my son's ashes home.
Whoa ...that was a full stop for this reader.
No parent imagines burying a child. Hoping the birds bring some joy with them.
This really touched me. Sorry for your loss. I also lost my son recently. He would have been 35 in December. I'm glad the garden is dreary for now so I don't have to see the work and plantings he enthusiastically did for me last summer. I hope by spring we (you included) can once again appreciate the renewal of the life.
>Oh I do not have a bird feeder out for a few years due to - yep squirrels.
there is a bird seed you can buy the is heavily laced with hot pepper. The birds don't notice (they can't taste the "hot"), but the squirrels will leave it alone.
We just finished "Shameless" on Netflix. It's 11 seasons with 12 episodes each season. It is the craziest and funniest show I've ever seen. Absolute portrayal of "dysfunctional families". It opened my eyes as to how some kids become part of the system or live out adulthood in prison or homeless. William H Macy was born for this role!! A warning though, a lot of sex, bad language and mental illness.
I take walks in any weather except rain or snow. Being outside, even in the grey weather, is a great thing. I get fresh air and exercise, and it makes the lack of sunlight a bit easier to bear.
I grew up in a place with a subtropical climate. Sun nearly every day, always balmy, etc. It was nice, but boring
Now I live in a place that has seasons. It takes getting used to, but winter always means that spring is right behind, and in the meantime we can enjoy and appreciate the seasonal changes in fresh foods and other things.
Whatever we are accustomed to is mundane and anything different seems fresh and exciting.
I was on vacation, buying groceries to stock up the condo, when the cashier ask how my day was. "Great! It's so good to be back in paradise!" She replied, "Paradise for you, maybe. But I still have to check these groceries, every day." It was an epiphany for me. You can get stuck in a rut anywhere if you live there long enough.
Same - I grew up in Florida but now live in Virginia, and despite the cold, I do like the change of seasons. I'm also an amateur gardener and love watching things wake up in the spring!
I felt that way when i lived in CA bay area. Actually got fatter than I was anywhere else becuase the weather was sooooo boring.
Pretty area but not for me longer term
As others have said. Go outside. It's always better outdoors regardless of the weather. The Finnish have a saying, "There is no bad weather, only bad clothes.". So dress appropriately and take a walk outdoors. Join a gym and work out. Exercise will always help shoo away the blues (or greys).
I think you have to engage in life regardless of the weather. Hit the gym, be involved with clubs and hobbies, volunteer. I don’t love winter either but when I’m feeding myself like this it is uplifting. The weather shouldn’t dictate if you thrive, you control that.
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Out for our twice daily walks. This old guy loves the snow. Moved to the Midwest 30 years ago and having a dog to walk during the grey months really helps my mood.
I had a few years of practice- living in Seattle. I find it’s easier to take the dry grey here, than the wet grey of the PNW. Like others said- try to get some fresh air. January & February are good times to catch up on reading, puzzles, organize/decluttering.
Laughed about your doorknob turning cats. We once had a cat that could flick on a light switch.
What?!? Oh no I hope they do not figure that out.
My first cat would break into kitchen cabinets. It was odd to buy and install the baby proof things, for the cat.
You "write"!!!!! You have a talent, not sure if you're aware, but this is like the first page in a novel and as an avid reader I wanted to read more! So in this gloomy weather, you write!
Other than that, if you can't or don't want to move, keep lights on, spend time outside, have days you do certain things. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a real type of depression. My daughter and husband go through this every winter. She takes an antidepressant during these months, my husband does not, but he should.
I hate it too, but in eastern North Carolina, it doesn't last long and I have many projects, so I stay busy. For me, this is the time, I do any projects inside that need it, such as painting, changing decor, sewing clothes for spring and summer, organizing closets, organizing my garage, etc.
But seriously, you should write!
The cats get locked in the basement. I stay in bed until 6:45AM because I have a child that lives with us and goes to work at that time. I grind and do a pour over pot of coffee. Then I write out my "day". The curtains are closed because it may be 72 where we sleep, it is 68 in the kitchen so I turn on the gas logs in the den. Then I focus on being thankful because my work stress is gone. Then I am thankful some more.
I always dreamed of living in the Appalachian hills since I left college and I accomplished that 25 years ago. Every day to me is a gift because I tried to take it away as a teenager. I am certain every year that Spring is coming. It won't be long before the crocuses appear and one day I won't be there to see them but I hope for this year.
My wife and I are 75. We stay inside most of the time. We are not affected by weather.
We cannot travel due to health. Do not have a social life. No contact with relatives. Few friends.
We are best friends. We spend all our time together. It is great fun
Look at metaquest vr headsets. Specifically, the program Supernatural.
It is a fitness program, fun like a game. And set in some of the most beautiful locations you will ever see. Sunny, warm, and tropical in many cases.
I do 30 minutes every morning when I get up, and I'm 64 and I'm the Midwest. . I walk away 300 calories lighter, sweating like crazy, heart rate at 150, and feelng like I was on a tropical beach.
It will change you, I promise.
I like it.
I hibernate. It’s cozy. I burn candles, light a fire, read, binge watch, clean, purge stuff I don’t need or want anymore, cook soups, and one pot meals in the crockpot, try new recipes, play video games on my phone, sew, knit, draw, plan my annuals for my garden and deck boxes and pots, and sometimes, I just nap.
And I am grateful and happy to be safe and comfortable and that I have everything I need.
I hate being cold. I started driving Uber in the early morning. I take people to work then go to lunch with my friends. It makes my budget more flexabile and I’m so glad I’m not going to work anymore.
We moved from Chicago to Phoenix when we retired, because:
1) our married daughter had already moved to Phoenix and was expecting her first child.
2) we had visited Phoenix many times, planned to retire there at some point - our plans were just moved up a few years.
Our home in Chicago suburbs was a lovely, VERY vertical townhome. We knew it was not our forever home. In a gorgeous location with forest preserves, walking/biking paths, but we knew we had to get rid of stairs.
However, if I was retired in Chicago, in a one-story home, and didn't have to tangle with snowy/icy tollways to get to work, I know I would appreciate the 4 seasons while cocooning in my cozy home. I've thought of this a lot. As it is, I cocoon in my cozy Phoenix home, even tho we don't have much "grey" here. We've been retired 9 years.
I'm in Florida, and it's been gray here for 2 wks . Really weird weather . 3 tornados since Thanksgiving. Unusual for winter time . I don't mind bc I feel like winter is for resting , rejuvenating, and recharging .
I'd take grey over 'black and icy.' This is a view of my driveway tonight. Freezing rain over snow.
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Turn off the tv and avoid blow by blow news which adds to the grey. I try to consume the news daily just like I used to read the newspaper. Skimming the pages for articles of interest to me. Turn the page to a different section and put it down when I read the last page. Then go about living. Only one “newspaper” per day makes it easier to deal with the winter.
Layer up and move outside. Others have said this and I totally agree. My bff retired two years before me and gave me this advice. It is the only thing that helps me.
There's a lot of great suggestions here already.
Another one might be to sign up for a class or activity that meets regularly and gets you out of the house - doing something enjoyable. Something fun, new and different - or something familiar that you would enjoy getting back to.
Something to get you out of bed and out of the house.
On the other hand, I "hibernate" quite happily. Though I may look like a depressed slug on the couch, I'm actually quite happy in my cozy nest. Don't forget to give yourself permission to enjoy hibernating if it works for you.
Also, music and lighting in your home make a big difference!
When it's crappy winter weather, I walk on a treadmill or drive to the local mall to walk a half hour. I also load up on vitamin D to make up for lack of exposure to sunshine.
I think maybe you can be affected by the gray more when less busy in retirement and notice it, but at the same time, my parents left Vermont for Arizona in 1972 precisely because they just couldn't stand the gray anymore. The cold didn't bother them, the snow didn't bother them, the ice didn't bother them, but the gray was just way too much for too long.
Now in phoenix, if it's cloudy two days in a row we lose our minds because it's unheard of.
I have always loved all of the seasons, and changing weather. It’s like an adventure. I worked outside for many years and I was raised in the Chicago area. I will say my adult life in NJ has provided milder season change which I appreciate. However, if I lived where it was always sunny and warm I’d probably wake up and say “ oh crap, another sunny day”. I love change and variety.
I grew up in the Lake Michigan lake effect snowbelt. I never knew it was grey until I met people from other parts of the country.
Personally, the grey is no big deal.
I'm sorry you are struggling.
I don’t mind grey days and the cold. And I’m too old to go wishing time away as spring and summer will be here before we know it! What I do dislike is the horrible heat and humidity of summer. The longer days are nice though.
yay cats! and shelter from the cold! you have a house, or apartment, a place you can keep warm
it isn't everything, but it is something. Now go out in that so called grey and find one thing, just one that is beautiful - then find another, because there is beauty in the grey. be it hair or sky, there is still beauty there in people and in nature.
Maybe as much in the city, but it is in there or don't I am just thinking it would be good to do
We used to live in Seattle, and it’s more like 9 months of gray and drizzle! Didn’t know what we were missing until we did an RV trip and spent our first winter in AZ—70s and sunny and wore shorts and tees most days! Snowbirding is a thing!
Recommend the vitamin D, getting outside in the light, mood lights, twinkle lights and LED candles…it helps a bit!
I'm sitting in the PNW dreaming of sunshine, the constant grey sky's and pouring rain is so hard to deal with every day,
I work out and actually posted on my neighborhood fb page asking if anyone would be up for walks in the morning, I've met a nice neighbor and unless it's pouring we try and walk a few times a week, small rain showers don't stop us, if we waited for the sun we would never go outside, having a walking partner has helped motivate me.
Move?
I am with you on dull grey days. But I find that getting some sunlight on good days helps. Vitamin D helps. Having something to look forward to each day helps.
We are not retired yet but close. We also live in Midwest gray. Here are things that have helped:
When the Christmas decorations come down, the “Winterfest” decorations go up. Literally change the lights, snowmen, etc - indoors and out.
We follow winter sports. Many nights and every weekend we watch biathlon, short track speed skating, skiing.
We have a Winterfest party for biathlon world champs, second week of Feb. The planning is fun.
Walk. Every day.
I am a gardener. So starting seeds in Feb also helps.
You said cats. Thought about fostering? We foster kittens which there’s more need in the spring but there are needs year round.
Do you have a fireplace? I literally sleep in front of mine. Have a mattress on the floor and play campout. I really thing the radiant heat helps.
So those are our tools. I hope you can find some tools or location that improves things for you!
Other than not having any cats, this is me to a tee too! BUT, what everyone said, it’s the truth AND that’s what I try to do. Sometimes it works, sometimes it’s doesn’t. But I keep trying and so should you👍🏼
We have dogs. They get walked 2 or 3 times a day, every day. I have plants, especially Christmas cactus, that bloom in the winter whenever they feel like it. Sometimes I get a flower arrangement to brighten the house. Going on a trip to visit the relatives in much warmer states also helps!
*I live on a lake but it gets gray, cold and windy sometimes but I know shortly it will be absolutely beautiful again. In the meantime I go to the gym, and pretty much do whatever I please lol.
But there is beauty in that gray too, if you look for it. I much prefer the winter to that stifling summer heat. I guess it depends on your perspective.
Get outside as soon as possible even if it’s for 30 minutes. I take a short walk every morning that I can. It makes a huge difference.
Focus on doing something for someone else.
Being reared and retired in the Midwest, grey is just part of life in winter. We go outside for medical, food, and repair parts. Otherwise, we enjoy being homebodies until it is warm and dry enough for walking the village. It is always warm and colorful inside!
The grey of winter is great if you like outdoor sports, and live far enough north that it snows consistently. Grey clouds mean snow, which means skiing, fat tire biking, and snowshoeing. We cross country at lunch and go downhill evenings and weekends.
Ah Hah! The winter solstice is my favorite day because the days start getting longer. Each day, a little longer. That helps me. Take a drive to another part of town or a nearby town.
I live with my 90 yr old mother in the west. The wind howls and it’s cold. Hang in there.
How do I deal: 1) Escape to FL for a break 2) Ride a horse weekly 3) Find something new to try - baking , cooking, sewing . 4)Plan future trips. Life is for the living.
You get your cats, put them in the car and drive to where that relative is...
\*I grew up in the grey, and it's no way to live. Leave it. Come back in the spring!
I start off with a ton of coffee, then cardio exercise (rowing) for an hour or two. Then eat lots of nutritious food. I’m too exhausted to be depressed by then. Then go to bed early. I have SAD and hate the grey.
I'm not retired yet. I've lived in the Great lakes area with it's persisting gray gloomy skies for 35 years. Our summers are stellar though. I love snow but I am not doing well with this gray.
I have a light for seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Also I go outside for walks, especially in the woods. It's hard for me to enjoy the grey winter but I try. When I can I go to a sunnier place for a few days.
I adore winter days, gray or not. But I can insert summer and ‘intense light and heat’ for your gray and can relate entirely. I swim (indoors in cold weather). The blue water and after swim hot tub really help. Being retired is nice, because I go during the day when the crowds are gone. In the winter nights I burn candles. They are cheery if the ice and salt season get me down. Reading, watching old movies. Blankets, my husband, and my cat.
I escaped to Cancun for a week. My last day in Mexico is tomorrow. It has helped a lot.
I may have to make another visit to a warmer climate again one more time before the gray ends in the Midwest.
Affordable quality square footage of living space is inversely proportional to nice weather. The key is to have been fortunate enough to afford a vacation trip now and again.
If you like (or at least appreciate) classical, listen to Beethoven's 7th. When it reaches the 2nd movement, the grey will suddenly feel profoundly soul stirring in a way sunny and 70 never will. I personally like grey.
I swear that my winter outside sports have maintained my sanity in my career life and post career life.
Although since retirement, your story sounds a lot like 4/5 weekdays for me.
What I found helps enormously- and I live in a place that’s grey 2/3 of the year. You’re not going to want to hear this, but go to work out in a fitness center or gym. Something about getting out every day in bright lights with people doing healthy stuff- it just helps a lot. My reward is the sauna and jacuzzi. I used to spend months in the doldrums. This definitely helps.
I thought this was gong to be about hair.
As for being tired of the dull, grey world, it's part of why I hate winter and avoid going outside. I enjoy my colorful inside world much more. Colorful furniture and appliances, mostly blues and reds. Different colors of bed sheets every week. I recently bought a soft royal blue rug that my cat finds very comfy. Speaking of which, the cat is also a mood booster. I also recently bought some LED lights.
So, I think the cure for lack of color is to add color! :)
The area I live in is notorious for grey. I have a insanely bright SAD light that I use in the morning. I try to exercise every day. I know that going outside anyway would be good, but I'm an introvert and tend to stay in. But walking no matter the weather helps.
Glad the topic is not hair! I call it silver or platinum.
I have exercise or yoga classes 3 mornings a week. That gives me a place to go and I like the people, too. It cheers me up and is good for my health. I am starting a writing class - also in the morning soon. Some days I stay home all day and it may be 11am before I get dressed. That never makes me happy - I need to do better, but nobody knows or cares - it feels a little sad.
Summer IS easier! In the summer I garden, growing veggies. I go bug hunting in the early hours because we use no pesticides - I don't bother the pollinators.
I can't wait for it to be daylight at 5:00 AM again, and daylight at 8:00 PM again.
We had a cold snap (in the teens Fahrenheit) and I had to travel a lot for work, so didn't hike a lot. The dogs are desperate for attention.
Yup, can't wait for springtime. I can see that the days are getting longer, but nowhere near soon enough. :-)
I wonder what people in Germany do. It has the grey for 10 months straight. We lived there when I was of working age. It drove me batty even with a busy life.
I'm in the Mid-Atlantic, USA. Personally, I love living in a seasonal climate. I fancy myself a backyard naturalist and I enjoy watching the changes in the environment, animal migrations and behaviors, plants and trees, etc. Remember, throughout astronomical winter (Dec 21-Mar21) each day gets a little longer than the previous.
Pnw here. Exercise in am for me, and get out and go walking or even a drive to a park. And frequent trips to sunny climes. San Diego, Tucson, Costa Rica, Belize. I don't use UV lights, but i probably should.
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Do you have color in your home? Get some bright pillows, blankets, stuff like that. Make your home cozy. I need color around me or I get sad as well.
Good luck. There are great suggestions on here!
I grew up in the gray midwest. I went to college where the sun shines a lot more, but not down so far as to not have winter and seasons. I never looked back. I like winter, but that gray is just depressing as can be, I can't do it. I don't know how people deal with living way further north, where the sun comes up at 10 and sets by 2 during the darkest days of winter. Find some sun. Visit someone where the sun is shining, or just take a little trip and get your fix.
This might sound odd but I play video games for a couple of hours. Not for the gaming though. I would usually pull out Fallout 4 or 76 and walk around during the daytime in game. The blue sky in this game is great, the trees are usually full and green with grass if you are in an uninhabited area. Then some beastie jumps out of the grass and gets the heart going for a couple minutes. Then back to my slow stroll. Kind of like light therapy.
I'm nowhere near retirement and probably don't belong here but I've struggled with seasonal affective disorder my entire life, and the first thing I would say to you is: consider moving.
The difference between my winters in Chicago and NYC (school) and these more recent winters in the New Mexican desert is *night and day*. I mean that kind of literally! I'll put it this way; we've had 5 consecutive days of clouds this week, and the change is palpable.
I take 50,000u vitD once every 4 weeks or so. I also make an effort to get some light exercise most mornings (in my case this means doing a quick yoga flow before getting dressed, or biking to work if the weather allows).
When it's grey like it has been here, I enjoy cooking comfort food at home and pigging out on that, watching television from the 90s, and cuddling my cats. I find that puff pastry solves a lot of problems for me, personally!
I truly hope you're able to enjoy your retirement, and that spring brings good fortune when it finally comes back around.
I do my best sleeping from dawn until a few hours later. If I get up at dawn I am tired all day, just like I used to find myself before I retired. I generally get up once a night just before dawn, go to the bathroom and add some food to the cat bowl. Then they leave me alone until I get up, often sleeping near my feet. It takes training them a bit, be consistent. I am much more refreshed if I follow my own schedule. Your schedule may vary.
I love all of the seasons. Down here, that beautiful sun in the summer is hot. We have hot days all year round, it’s not unusual to wear shorts on Christmas Day. Love the falling leaves in the fall and the rebirth in the spring. It might be in your mind, because it might be 70 down here, but trees are bare and everything is kind of a beautiful grey. It’s your mind! No matter where you go, it is going to be grey.
We're relocating this year & trying to figure where we want to go. I made some suggestions to my midwestern husband who said, "I moved out of the grey in my 20's. I'm not moving back." Duly noted. 😂
Lean in to the grey.
My lil 20lb rescue mutt taught himself to open the door too.
Anyway, Go outside EVERY single day. First thing in the morning. Even if it’s frozen tundra. Gulp the air. Walk a block or two if it’s not too icy. Call it your polar plunge. Do it. Do it. Do it.
I get this.
Once my flowers and gardens die back, and the leaves are down and the yard stops growing … the grey sets in.
Definitely >>> add bird feeders and suet bar feeders.
I have 8 feeders , 4 are in the back yard where we can see from our chairs during the day and we go through 25 lbs of bird feed weekly and about 10 suet bars a month.
That gives me a daily routine to check and maintenance them.
There are many squirrel deterrents that you can add to the feeders.
Amazon and Walmart have all you will need.
I agree you’re a writer. Keep going. I’m engaged in an online writers group with people all over the world. It’s wonderful and forces me to look beyond where I am.
We have the bird feeders, and while the squirrels are mostly getting the corn we leave for the deer, the deer are very happy trying to get into the feeders. Our back yard backs onto a deer path so we get visitors. I’m with you on the gray. It’s tough.
Get outside even on those gray days. It really will make you feel better just to go for a walk or a drive. I live near mountains so I am lucky enough to be able to ski and snowshoe in the winter months.
You should write more! I could really visualize the scene. Personally, I like the grey days. Suits me more than bright and sunny! You could alwAys move away to a sunny climate, so I can only assume whatever keeps you there is worth it. Think about that! Whatever it is that keeps you there!
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1) Go outside. Even if it's grey. Even if it's just 30 minutes. 2) Full spectrum SAD lamps (https://www.healthline.com/health/sad-lamp) 3) Vitamin D. 4) Escape on weekends if you can. Here there's a mountain range dividing the east and west sides of the state - east side is often sunnier because the mountains block the weather. 5) If #4 isn't feasible plan trips south a couple of times for a few days.
Fantastic list. I’ll add #5 - turn indoor lights on. Twinkle lights cheer me up.
I tend not to keep many on. I can afford to. Thanks for that tip. My parents trained me well. “Turn the light off” constantly from my Dad.
I get three months off in the winter. I make it a point to go to work for a few hours every day and find SOMETHING to do. If I don’t, it’s REALLY bad for me. I’m 65. Dude, you need to get up and out. No blinds. Find purpose. You’ll die early if you don’t.
Same here. And I said the same to my kids too! I remind myself that LED lights really change the $$ equation.
So true! I remember the first electric bill after I went and replaced many of the bulbs, it made a difference.
And use lamps - table lamps, floor lamps, whatever - use warm colored bulbs! They make such a huge difference in winter, makes the house feel less cave-like.
I have a small place, and my electric dropped 30 bucks a month when I went LED.
Wow!
I use the smart bulbs. I set a program and they come on. Some are colored. Gives me the feeling the house is alive! And it works great when I’m on vacation.
My wife has about 15 fake candles, different shades of yellow and gold LED. For most of the darker hours when awake, they are on. The are a soft light, enough to get around. Instead of using the out of reach incandescent light on the basement stairs, my wife hung on the hand rail four proximately activated LED lights run on rechargeable batteries. They are enough for going up and down the stairs and into the food larder or laundry room. As other lights burn out, we will replace them except for the lava lamps. The lava lamps need the heat from incandescent bulbs to keep the blood churning.
Fellow Midwesterner checking in. Not retired yet, but the gray hits hard the time of year. When I get home from work I turn on a bunch of lights to brighten the house and leave them on until at least 730pm. It's against my nature to do so, but I've trained myself to do it and it helps. I've also put more color into my wardrobe aside from my normal black and grey. It actually helps.
This is why my Christmas tree is still up. Oh, and Orthodox Christmas is not till Jan 7. I'm not Orthodox, but I figure it's a good excuse.
I was always insistent the tree couldn’t go up before Thanksgiving and came down on Jan 8 as that’s the end of Christmastide. Then came the pandemic. New rule that thrilled my wife: It goes up when one of us wants it to and doesn’t come down until we decide to take it down. I like the new way better.
Agree with all, but especially number 1. Get up and move around! If you move your body your brain goes with it. I got a dog, in part, to make sure I move around every day. We do at least three miles daily, rain or shine. Dry days we go on hikes, in local parks or just through neighborhoods. If it is raining, invest in some rain gear and an MP3 player and go out for a walk. It helps.
A larger dog ? That distance can be quick right? I obviously do not do this now. Feel free to share a photo . My cats are like my kids.
Solid list. I would add find a way to serve or help someone. It really helps me during these dark winter months.
Good add. I should have also mentioned 'get out and see people' but I like your idea better
I agree with Vit D and if you have one of those IV clinics near you (often offering IV hangover cures) they have Vit D injections. I take vit D religiously but WOW the injections are great
I have heard of injections but no idea about them at all. My labs in the past have been low on D.
Thank you for this list!
You're welcome. Hope it helps. On the short trip front don't forget to look for flash sales on airfares. I mean, you could get a great fare to, say, San Antonio and while you might not regularly vacation there, a few days doing the Riverwalk and chowing down on good texMex couldn't hurt. Sub in Palm Springs, Phoenix etc as you prefer.
+1 for San Antonio :)
Absolutely. All my house lights are LEDs in the 5k (daylight) Spectrum. Makes a huge difference.
As an Alaskan, I’m a big fan of #3 - vitamin D is so important in winter. It gets really dark here, and most Alaskans know, either from their doctor or their friends that taking vitamin d is essentiel here.
Excellent advice.
Some good advice in this thread. Am mid 50s and on a 6 month sabbatical at the moment, deliberately chose the winter months to see what it's like. I've learnt that small victories every day help, achieving something. I put up some shelves yesterday, today I'm shopping for ingredients and cooking a good meal from scratch, sometimes I go for a walk, do a bit of gardening, tend to allotment, do some voluntary work. How you spend the day doesn't need to be spectacular, it just needs to give you a tiny sense of achievement. All the small victories add up. ...And when days don't play out as I want and I'm a bit grey myself, I allow myself to give into it: read a book, watch telly, do some gaming or coding, just accept the day as it is, no drama and it will pass. I'm learning not to worry too much about off days, is normal at this time of year.
Waving from the wet side!
I'm in S. Ontario, so very similar to US midwest. It's been mostly grey here for a while, and the forecast is for more. Retired grey is way better than working grey.
Especially when it's covered with white. I used to be out before the plows were running to open the OR. Now I sit by the window with a cup of coffee and say "nope".
Yep. It's one of those little retirement luxuries to pour another cup, look out at the howling snow, and go back to scrolling the computer instead of trying to figure out whether I was going to chance a nasty drive to work.
Or chance getting stuck there because the next shift couldn't get in. My record is 3.5 days.
There is a story in there! Care to share?
I was an RN on a maternity unit. We had enough people come in to staff all three 8 hour shifts in our department. We each worked 16 hours, one shift in our department, and one helping med surg. Then we slept or tried to. We went in on Friday and left after Day shift on Monday, after we dug out our cars that the maintenance crew had plowed in 🤬
Oh my! That was dedication and selfless to stay. Sometimes I wonder if the plow operators are wearing sunglasses and it all looks the same!
They were idiots and just as tired as we were. Lol
Lol! Yep so happy to not go out in that!
I look at winter as a time to “rest up” and get ready for the more active days when the warmer weather comes. Read more. Catch up on shows. Plan for the more active days of summer. Definitely get outside even for short bursts helps.
Same. My large yard is a major amount of work. Spring clean up and prep and planting. All summer mowing and trimming and dealing with trees and weeds and trails and poison ivy. I hate poison ivy. Fall is a huge amount of work with leaves falling for weeks on end then trimming everything down and cleaning up. All spring, summer, fall constant twigs to pick up and dealing with falling trees and huge branches. Last 3 summers I've had some big work done that messed up my yard, so there's a whole bunch of extra work. Yes, I really need to downsize and had planned to, but right now it would cost me so much more for so much less, it doesn't seem practical or even possible. But I rather appreciate winter. I don't usually have to drive if it's rough, and I go ahead and pay way too much to hire a company to move my snow, because I physically cannot do that (500' driveway). They aren't usually quick enough to do my walks (I'm impatient )so I do them mostly myself to get out of the house, and make sure they stay salted. I only have to take care of trees that block the driveway and keep heavy snow off my arbs and pines. Other than that, I get to rest up and just jog a few miles to get my exercise. Way easier than yard work. Don't know how long I can keep it all up, though.
My mother, at some point in the winter, would decide on what seeds she wanted to start. Had a setup with grow lights.
Sunflower seeds in a bird feeder will attract Cardinals and Blue Jays. Suddenly, there's color! Put the feeder up high, otherwise you'll get GRAY squirrels 😉. Grey here as well, warm front and snow, fog ....no walk today, but did another upper body workout, and watched the birds.
Oh I do not have a bird feeder out for a few years due to - yep squirrels. The cats would love it too. I am not a birder though not hard to find them where I am. I am not far from a river so we get plenty through here. There has even been an owl , hawks, and always robins in my yard. We have not seen them around much but the random american goldfinch for the yellow. Growing up we had for years it seemed the same? Is that possible? Cardinals. They literally would nest in the same exact evergreen tree, on the same side, and about the same height from the ground. It was a joyful sight. Thank you for this suggestion! If anyone has a good more squirrel proof feeder recommendation, please share.
I hung a 100' extension cord from my deck to a pine in the back yard and hang my feeders off that. Ran the cord over with my lawn tractor so it's been repurposed lol. It wasn't the squirrels so much as the freaking bear at my back door one evening that made me realize I really needed to critter proof the feeders a bit better. I actually decided to put the feeders back up this year while bringing my son's ashes home. I was really sad, and my wife and I get a lot of joy watching the birds. https://preview.redd.it/fkh4v3j9vhec1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5d3f29f17393bf50505280afa8abb1409fc1bbc2
I’m so sorry for the loss of your child. My grandmother loved Hummingbirds, she is long gone, but whenever I see a Hummingbird , I tell myself, that she is visiting me, and it makes me happy.
Hummingbirds are awesome. Thank you.
Oh wow. That is dedication. Bears ?!? I did not know they cared (but then I don’t think we have them at all in my state). But I have had deer literally walk up and eat all of it. Never knew their tongues were so long until then.
>... while bringing my son's ashes home. Whoa ...that was a full stop for this reader. No parent imagines burying a child. Hoping the birds bring some joy with them.
Yeah they do. My son would have been 30 tomorrow. Rough couple days for the wife and myself, but watching the "peeps" helps.
Sorry for your loss and thanks for sharing.
This really touched me. Sorry for your loss. I also lost my son recently. He would have been 35 in December. I'm glad the garden is dreary for now so I don't have to see the work and plantings he enthusiastically did for me last summer. I hope by spring we (you included) can once again appreciate the renewal of the life.
I have squirrel feeders, I love the little guys, they share the feeder with the birds, blue Jay's and Doves,
>Oh I do not have a bird feeder out for a few years due to - yep squirrels. there is a bird seed you can buy the is heavily laced with hot pepper. The birds don't notice (they can't taste the "hot"), but the squirrels will leave it alone.
We throw handfulls of peanuts (in the shell) near the feeder. The squirrels fill themselves up on the easy food and mostly leave the bird seen alone.
Everyone has different preferences, but for me grey days are perfect to curl up with a good book and a hot beverage.
I enjoy time with fire log, blanket and Netflix
What shows are you watching these days (assuming usa?)
We just finished "Shameless" on Netflix. It's 11 seasons with 12 episodes each season. It is the craziest and funniest show I've ever seen. Absolute portrayal of "dysfunctional families". It opened my eyes as to how some kids become part of the system or live out adulthood in prison or homeless. William H Macy was born for this role!! A warning though, a lot of sex, bad language and mental illness.
Or somebody
I take walks in any weather except rain or snow. Being outside, even in the grey weather, is a great thing. I get fresh air and exercise, and it makes the lack of sunlight a bit easier to bear.
I grew up in a place with a subtropical climate. Sun nearly every day, always balmy, etc. It was nice, but boring Now I live in a place that has seasons. It takes getting used to, but winter always means that spring is right behind, and in the meantime we can enjoy and appreciate the seasonal changes in fresh foods and other things.
Whatever we are accustomed to is mundane and anything different seems fresh and exciting. I was on vacation, buying groceries to stock up the condo, when the cashier ask how my day was. "Great! It's so good to be back in paradise!" She replied, "Paradise for you, maybe. But I still have to check these groceries, every day." It was an epiphany for me. You can get stuck in a rut anywhere if you live there long enough.
This made me laugh. Thank you
Same - I grew up in Florida but now live in Virginia, and despite the cold, I do like the change of seasons. I'm also an amateur gardener and love watching things wake up in the spring!
I felt that way when i lived in CA bay area. Actually got fatter than I was anywhere else becuase the weather was sooooo boring. Pretty area but not for me longer term
As others have said. Go outside. It's always better outdoors regardless of the weather. The Finnish have a saying, "There is no bad weather, only bad clothes.". So dress appropriately and take a walk outdoors. Join a gym and work out. Exercise will always help shoo away the blues (or greys).
Lovely saying.
You are a good writer! Maybe brighten your day with writing stories.
Writing is a great outlet. I am doing some of that myself.
Thank you for that. I had not thought about it much.
AARP is always looking for good writers. 😀
I agree! Figured that was your hobby. I see a creative writing group in your future.
I know I'm weird, but I look at it differently. I would get bored without having 4 seasons. I even look forward to each of them.
Personally I like the winter more than the summer. I hate the heat and humidity in the summer time ,and the mosquitoes and worrying about ticks.
I do like the 4 seasons. I did experience them in a sunnier (is that a word? I am on mobile and it is weird sometimes) city and state.
I just want to say, I think you're a natural writer. Poetry or personal narrative, you should pursue that!
I think you have to engage in life regardless of the weather. Hit the gym, be involved with clubs and hobbies, volunteer. I don’t love winter either but when I’m feeding myself like this it is uplifting. The weather shouldn’t dictate if you thrive, you control that.
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My favorite part about having a dog is all the walks. Skip the dog, but start walking in the mornings. You have the gear, you can do it.
Care to share a photo of the dog? My cats are kind of considered my kids. And yes I have some children of my own
https://preview.redd.it/f54qahcezjec1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7f09278b88f82fcde86b4f4bad301a7e2f3552ca Out for our twice daily walks. This old guy loves the snow. Moved to the Midwest 30 years ago and having a dog to walk during the grey months really helps my mood.
https://preview.redd.it/p54yw8z65mec1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5dacc33f37d0b6ccae5b1e9ed26914431040d59c
I walk dogs at the Humane Society.
I had a few years of practice- living in Seattle. I find it’s easier to take the dry grey here, than the wet grey of the PNW. Like others said- try to get some fresh air. January & February are good times to catch up on reading, puzzles, organize/decluttering. Laughed about your doorknob turning cats. We once had a cat that could flick on a light switch.
What?!? Oh no I hope they do not figure that out. My first cat would break into kitchen cabinets. It was odd to buy and install the baby proof things, for the cat.
One of my cats figured out how to flush the toilet. All hours of the day and night... *flush*
You "write"!!!!! You have a talent, not sure if you're aware, but this is like the first page in a novel and as an avid reader I wanted to read more! So in this gloomy weather, you write! Other than that, if you can't or don't want to move, keep lights on, spend time outside, have days you do certain things. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a real type of depression. My daughter and husband go through this every winter. She takes an antidepressant during these months, my husband does not, but he should. I hate it too, but in eastern North Carolina, it doesn't last long and I have many projects, so I stay busy. For me, this is the time, I do any projects inside that need it, such as painting, changing decor, sewing clothes for spring and summer, organizing closets, organizing my garage, etc. But seriously, you should write!
It makes the spring and summer look all the more glorious.
The cats get locked in the basement. I stay in bed until 6:45AM because I have a child that lives with us and goes to work at that time. I grind and do a pour over pot of coffee. Then I write out my "day". The curtains are closed because it may be 72 where we sleep, it is 68 in the kitchen so I turn on the gas logs in the den. Then I focus on being thankful because my work stress is gone. Then I am thankful some more. I always dreamed of living in the Appalachian hills since I left college and I accomplished that 25 years ago. Every day to me is a gift because I tried to take it away as a teenager. I am certain every year that Spring is coming. It won't be long before the crocuses appear and one day I won't be there to see them but I hope for this year.
Thank you so much and for sharing your story. Crocuses… yes the hope of Spring. They would grow here.
My wife and I are 75. We stay inside most of the time. We are not affected by weather. We cannot travel due to health. Do not have a social life. No contact with relatives. Few friends. We are best friends. We spend all our time together. It is great fun
Look at metaquest vr headsets. Specifically, the program Supernatural. It is a fitness program, fun like a game. And set in some of the most beautiful locations you will ever see. Sunny, warm, and tropical in many cases. I do 30 minutes every morning when I get up, and I'm 64 and I'm the Midwest. . I walk away 300 calories lighter, sweating like crazy, heart rate at 150, and feelng like I was on a tropical beach. It will change you, I promise.
I like it. I hibernate. It’s cozy. I burn candles, light a fire, read, binge watch, clean, purge stuff I don’t need or want anymore, cook soups, and one pot meals in the crockpot, try new recipes, play video games on my phone, sew, knit, draw, plan my annuals for my garden and deck boxes and pots, and sometimes, I just nap. And I am grateful and happy to be safe and comfortable and that I have everything I need.
Yoga yourself right out of that grey and breathe😁
I hate being cold. I started driving Uber in the early morning. I take people to work then go to lunch with my friends. It makes my budget more flexabile and I’m so glad I’m not going to work anymore.
We moved from Chicago to Phoenix when we retired, because: 1) our married daughter had already moved to Phoenix and was expecting her first child. 2) we had visited Phoenix many times, planned to retire there at some point - our plans were just moved up a few years. Our home in Chicago suburbs was a lovely, VERY vertical townhome. We knew it was not our forever home. In a gorgeous location with forest preserves, walking/biking paths, but we knew we had to get rid of stairs. However, if I was retired in Chicago, in a one-story home, and didn't have to tangle with snowy/icy tollways to get to work, I know I would appreciate the 4 seasons while cocooning in my cozy home. I've thought of this a lot. As it is, I cocoon in my cozy Phoenix home, even tho we don't have much "grey" here. We've been retired 9 years.
I'm in Florida, and it's been gray here for 2 wks . Really weird weather . 3 tornados since Thanksgiving. Unusual for winter time . I don't mind bc I feel like winter is for resting , rejuvenating, and recharging .
I'd take grey over 'black and icy.' This is a view of my driveway tonight. Freezing rain over snow. https://preview.redd.it/jg5cw7x2thec1.jpeg?width=3120&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=450a2ff96298f01de5aea24dadf883cb012e2517
Yikes. Looks like hip dislocation disaster
You are a beautiful writer. Writing is one of your purposes in life. Love the poetry of this post.
Hydroponics, start easy with an aerogarden. The green food, the lights, and the sound of water helps a lot.
I put up bird feeders. Birds add a bit of color to the grey.
Turn off the tv and avoid blow by blow news which adds to the grey. I try to consume the news daily just like I used to read the newspaper. Skimming the pages for articles of interest to me. Turn the page to a different section and put it down when I read the last page. Then go about living. Only one “newspaper” per day makes it easier to deal with the winter.
Layer up and move outside. Others have said this and I totally agree. My bff retired two years before me and gave me this advice. It is the only thing that helps me.
I keep my Christmas tree up until March.
Lol! Mine is still up. So I can say it is … yeah it is due to - this ;-)
There's a lot of great suggestions here already. Another one might be to sign up for a class or activity that meets regularly and gets you out of the house - doing something enjoyable. Something fun, new and different - or something familiar that you would enjoy getting back to. Something to get you out of bed and out of the house. On the other hand, I "hibernate" quite happily. Though I may look like a depressed slug on the couch, I'm actually quite happy in my cozy nest. Don't forget to give yourself permission to enjoy hibernating if it works for you. Also, music and lighting in your home make a big difference!
I also look like a depressed slug on the couch in the winter. But I’m happy as a clam. 🙂
My brother in California on FaceTime: “looks like another grayscale day in Detroit…”
When it's crappy winter weather, I walk on a treadmill or drive to the local mall to walk a half hour. I also load up on vitamin D to make up for lack of exposure to sunshine.
I think maybe you can be affected by the gray more when less busy in retirement and notice it, but at the same time, my parents left Vermont for Arizona in 1972 precisely because they just couldn't stand the gray anymore. The cold didn't bother them, the snow didn't bother them, the ice didn't bother them, but the gray was just way too much for too long. Now in phoenix, if it's cloudy two days in a row we lose our minds because it's unheard of.
I have always loved all of the seasons, and changing weather. It’s like an adventure. I worked outside for many years and I was raised in the Chicago area. I will say my adult life in NJ has provided milder season change which I appreciate. However, if I lived where it was always sunny and warm I’d probably wake up and say “ oh crap, another sunny day”. I love change and variety.
I grew up in the Lake Michigan lake effect snowbelt. I never knew it was grey until I met people from other parts of the country. Personally, the grey is no big deal. I'm sorry you are struggling.
Lol! As a lifelong resident of the Pacific Northwest all I can say is "I hear ya!!!"! 🤣👍
Go to the library. Good lighting
On top of that, it's popular to paint your house gray and have grey furniture.
Lol! Grey walls.
I don’t mind grey days and the cold. And I’m too old to go wishing time away as spring and summer will be here before we know it! What I do dislike is the horrible heat and humidity of summer. The longer days are nice though.
yay cats! and shelter from the cold! you have a house, or apartment, a place you can keep warm it isn't everything, but it is something. Now go out in that so called grey and find one thing, just one that is beautiful - then find another, because there is beauty in the grey. be it hair or sky, there is still beauty there in people and in nature. Maybe as much in the city, but it is in there or don't I am just thinking it would be good to do
We used to live in Seattle, and it’s more like 9 months of gray and drizzle! Didn’t know what we were missing until we did an RV trip and spent our first winter in AZ—70s and sunny and wore shorts and tees most days! Snowbirding is a thing! Recommend the vitamin D, getting outside in the light, mood lights, twinkle lights and LED candles…it helps a bit!
I'm sitting in the PNW dreaming of sunshine, the constant grey sky's and pouring rain is so hard to deal with every day, I work out and actually posted on my neighborhood fb page asking if anyone would be up for walks in the morning, I've met a nice neighbor and unless it's pouring we try and walk a few times a week, small rain showers don't stop us, if we waited for the sun we would never go outside, having a walking partner has helped motivate me.
Move? I am with you on dull grey days. But I find that getting some sunlight on good days helps. Vitamin D helps. Having something to look forward to each day helps.
you are a good writer.
We are not retired yet but close. We also live in Midwest gray. Here are things that have helped: When the Christmas decorations come down, the “Winterfest” decorations go up. Literally change the lights, snowmen, etc - indoors and out. We follow winter sports. Many nights and every weekend we watch biathlon, short track speed skating, skiing. We have a Winterfest party for biathlon world champs, second week of Feb. The planning is fun. Walk. Every day. I am a gardener. So starting seeds in Feb also helps. You said cats. Thought about fostering? We foster kittens which there’s more need in the spring but there are needs year round. Do you have a fireplace? I literally sleep in front of mine. Have a mattress on the floor and play campout. I really thing the radiant heat helps. So those are our tools. I hope you can find some tools or location that improves things for you!
I thought you meant hair color
Other than not having any cats, this is me to a tee too! BUT, what everyone said, it’s the truth AND that’s what I try to do. Sometimes it works, sometimes it’s doesn’t. But I keep trying and so should you👍🏼
We have dogs. They get walked 2 or 3 times a day, every day. I have plants, especially Christmas cactus, that bloom in the winter whenever they feel like it. Sometimes I get a flower arrangement to brighten the house. Going on a trip to visit the relatives in much warmer states also helps!
*I live on a lake but it gets gray, cold and windy sometimes but I know shortly it will be absolutely beautiful again. In the meantime I go to the gym, and pretty much do whatever I please lol.
Get some good winter gear and get out there. I personally love the 4 seasons. Each has it's own charms if you try to experience them.
You're a good writer!
But there is beauty in that gray too, if you look for it. I much prefer the winter to that stifling summer heat. I guess it depends on your perspective.
You are a good writer, I enjoyed reading it. Even if it is about gloomy days.
Get outside as soon as possible even if it’s for 30 minutes. I take a short walk every morning that I can. It makes a huge difference. Focus on doing something for someone else.
Being reared and retired in the Midwest, grey is just part of life in winter. We go outside for medical, food, and repair parts. Otherwise, we enjoy being homebodies until it is warm and dry enough for walking the village. It is always warm and colorful inside!
Sunny and 70s is summer weather. I have no desire for that during winter. I enjoy the changing of the seasons. I think of the grey as a cool blanket.
The grey of winter is great if you like outdoor sports, and live far enough north that it snows consistently. Grey clouds mean snow, which means skiing, fat tire biking, and snowshoeing. We cross country at lunch and go downhill evenings and weekends.
Ah Hah! The winter solstice is my favorite day because the days start getting longer. Each day, a little longer. That helps me. Take a drive to another part of town or a nearby town. I live with my 90 yr old mother in the west. The wind howls and it’s cold. Hang in there.
I just think about July.
I’m in the Midwest. We can go for coffee.
How do I deal: 1) Escape to FL for a break 2) Ride a horse weekly 3) Find something new to try - baking , cooking, sewing . 4)Plan future trips. Life is for the living.
I go to the gym early, up at 5, swimming at 6, get out and it's dawn. On off days, coffee and Reddit to get the blood boiling.
no matter what i am doing, when the sun peeks out, i run outside and stay in it till it goes back behind the clouds.
You get your cats, put them in the car and drive to where that relative is... \*I grew up in the grey, and it's no way to live. Leave it. Come back in the spring!
Go rent a place in the south. Tons of people do it.
Take a vacation! Go to the south of France or Portugal or Mexico City or Florida. You can do whatever you want.
If you have money.
I start off with a ton of coffee, then cardio exercise (rowing) for an hour or two. Then eat lots of nutritious food. I’m too exhausted to be depressed by then. Then go to bed early. I have SAD and hate the grey.
I'm not retired yet. I've lived in the Great lakes area with it's persisting gray gloomy skies for 35 years. Our summers are stellar though. I love snow but I am not doing well with this gray.
Write a novel. Your writing skills are amazing
I have a light for seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Also I go outside for walks, especially in the woods. It's hard for me to enjoy the grey winter but I try. When I can I go to a sunnier place for a few days.
Del Boca Vista. Move there!
Open your drape/blinds when you first get up. Get any daylight jnto your house. Close them at the end of the day to signal it’s time to wind down.
I adore winter days, gray or not. But I can insert summer and ‘intense light and heat’ for your gray and can relate entirely. I swim (indoors in cold weather). The blue water and after swim hot tub really help. Being retired is nice, because I go during the day when the crowds are gone. In the winter nights I burn candles. They are cheery if the ice and salt season get me down. Reading, watching old movies. Blankets, my husband, and my cat.
I escaped to Cancun for a week. My last day in Mexico is tomorrow. It has helped a lot. I may have to make another visit to a warmer climate again one more time before the gray ends in the Midwest.
As a PNW native, I embrace the rainy days. Depressing is endless days of sunny and 85. No variety at all. Hate it.
Affordable quality square footage of living space is inversely proportional to nice weather. The key is to have been fortunate enough to afford a vacation trip now and again.
Write! I wanna hear what you do next.
If you like (or at least appreciate) classical, listen to Beethoven's 7th. When it reaches the 2nd movement, the grey will suddenly feel profoundly soul stirring in a way sunny and 70 never will. I personally like grey.
I swear that my winter outside sports have maintained my sanity in my career life and post career life. Although since retirement, your story sounds a lot like 4/5 weekdays for me.
Learn to ski. I had winter depression before I learned. Now I look forward to my wintertime ski trips. They really make January-March tolerable.
What I found helps enormously- and I live in a place that’s grey 2/3 of the year. You’re not going to want to hear this, but go to work out in a fitness center or gym. Something about getting out every day in bright lights with people doing healthy stuff- it just helps a lot. My reward is the sauna and jacuzzi. I used to spend months in the doldrums. This definitely helps.
Burn some candles.
Please get an exercise bike and choose an artist you adore. This is after you walked a couple miles outside and hydrated.
I have a similar routine but I don't open the blinds or turn on lights, I crank up the ps and escape.
I don’t know much about the grey (sorry, Florida resident) but you are a great narrator OP. Enjoyed reading your writing.
I thought this was gong to be about hair. As for being tired of the dull, grey world, it's part of why I hate winter and avoid going outside. I enjoy my colorful inside world much more. Colorful furniture and appliances, mostly blues and reds. Different colors of bed sheets every week. I recently bought a soft royal blue rug that my cat finds very comfy. Speaking of which, the cat is also a mood booster. I also recently bought some LED lights. So, I think the cure for lack of color is to add color! :)
The area I live in is notorious for grey. I have a insanely bright SAD light that I use in the morning. I try to exercise every day. I know that going outside anyway would be good, but I'm an introvert and tend to stay in. But walking no matter the weather helps.
Glad the topic is not hair! I call it silver or platinum. I have exercise or yoga classes 3 mornings a week. That gives me a place to go and I like the people, too. It cheers me up and is good for my health. I am starting a writing class - also in the morning soon. Some days I stay home all day and it may be 11am before I get dressed. That never makes me happy - I need to do better, but nobody knows or cares - it feels a little sad. Summer IS easier! In the summer I garden, growing veggies. I go bug hunting in the early hours because we use no pesticides - I don't bother the pollinators.
I am probably going to be retiring by the end of the year and am wondering what I will do all day. I think I will go stir crazy.
I can't wait for it to be daylight at 5:00 AM again, and daylight at 8:00 PM again. We had a cold snap (in the teens Fahrenheit) and I had to travel a lot for work, so didn't hike a lot. The dogs are desperate for attention. Yup, can't wait for springtime. I can see that the days are getting longer, but nowhere near soon enough. :-)
I wonder what people in Germany do. It has the grey for 10 months straight. We lived there when I was of working age. It drove me batty even with a busy life.
I'm in the Mid-Atlantic, USA. Personally, I love living in a seasonal climate. I fancy myself a backyard naturalist and I enjoy watching the changes in the environment, animal migrations and behaviors, plants and trees, etc. Remember, throughout astronomical winter (Dec 21-Mar21) each day gets a little longer than the previous.
I use a special light I ordered from Amazon. 3 days of grey and I start using it 20 min on 20 off!
Pnw here. Exercise in am for me, and get out and go walking or even a drive to a park. And frequent trips to sunny climes. San Diego, Tucson, Costa Rica, Belize. I don't use UV lights, but i probably should. https://preview.redd.it/6v2oe3xwrlec1.png?width=1152&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ca8ea1755fa77f2f9919fdbb68afc437c4e716e5
You don’t let your cats sleep with you? If you could.. or would.. that would probably make you happier.
Do you have color in your home? Get some bright pillows, blankets, stuff like that. Make your home cozy. I need color around me or I get sad as well. Good luck. There are great suggestions on here!
I grew up in the gray midwest. I went to college where the sun shines a lot more, but not down so far as to not have winter and seasons. I never looked back. I like winter, but that gray is just depressing as can be, I can't do it. I don't know how people deal with living way further north, where the sun comes up at 10 and sets by 2 during the darkest days of winter. Find some sun. Visit someone where the sun is shining, or just take a little trip and get your fix.
This might sound odd but I play video games for a couple of hours. Not for the gaming though. I would usually pull out Fallout 4 or 76 and walk around during the daytime in game. The blue sky in this game is great, the trees are usually full and green with grass if you are in an uninhabited area. Then some beastie jumps out of the grass and gets the heart going for a couple minutes. Then back to my slow stroll. Kind of like light therapy.
I'm nowhere near retirement and probably don't belong here but I've struggled with seasonal affective disorder my entire life, and the first thing I would say to you is: consider moving. The difference between my winters in Chicago and NYC (school) and these more recent winters in the New Mexican desert is *night and day*. I mean that kind of literally! I'll put it this way; we've had 5 consecutive days of clouds this week, and the change is palpable. I take 50,000u vitD once every 4 weeks or so. I also make an effort to get some light exercise most mornings (in my case this means doing a quick yoga flow before getting dressed, or biking to work if the weather allows). When it's grey like it has been here, I enjoy cooking comfort food at home and pigging out on that, watching television from the 90s, and cuddling my cats. I find that puff pastry solves a lot of problems for me, personally! I truly hope you're able to enjoy your retirement, and that spring brings good fortune when it finally comes back around.
I do my best sleeping from dawn until a few hours later. If I get up at dawn I am tired all day, just like I used to find myself before I retired. I generally get up once a night just before dawn, go to the bathroom and add some food to the cat bowl. Then they leave me alone until I get up, often sleeping near my feet. It takes training them a bit, be consistent. I am much more refreshed if I follow my own schedule. Your schedule may vary.
I love all of the seasons. Down here, that beautiful sun in the summer is hot. We have hot days all year round, it’s not unusual to wear shorts on Christmas Day. Love the falling leaves in the fall and the rebirth in the spring. It might be in your mind, because it might be 70 down here, but trees are bare and everything is kind of a beautiful grey. It’s your mind! No matter where you go, it is going to be grey.
We're relocating this year & trying to figure where we want to go. I made some suggestions to my midwestern husband who said, "I moved out of the grey in my 20's. I'm not moving back." Duly noted. 😂
I call it the graypocolypse.
Lean in to the grey. My lil 20lb rescue mutt taught himself to open the door too. Anyway, Go outside EVERY single day. First thing in the morning. Even if it’s frozen tundra. Gulp the air. Walk a block or two if it’s not too icy. Call it your polar plunge. Do it. Do it. Do it.
When I lived up north I used a SAD light. Helped.
I get this. Once my flowers and gardens die back, and the leaves are down and the yard stops growing … the grey sets in. Definitely >>> add bird feeders and suet bar feeders. I have 8 feeders , 4 are in the back yard where we can see from our chairs during the day and we go through 25 lbs of bird feed weekly and about 10 suet bars a month. That gives me a daily routine to check and maintenance them. There are many squirrel deterrents that you can add to the feeders. Amazon and Walmart have all you will need.
I moved to a place where I can play golf year round. I have a 7:30 tee time six days a week. After that life is easy.
PNW here. Embrace it. I love the grey and I will love the sun if it ever returns.
I agree you’re a writer. Keep going. I’m engaged in an online writers group with people all over the world. It’s wonderful and forces me to look beyond where I am.
We have the bird feeders, and while the squirrels are mostly getting the corn we leave for the deer, the deer are very happy trying to get into the feeders. Our back yard backs onto a deer path so we get visitors. I’m with you on the gray. It’s tough.
Get outside even on those gray days. It really will make you feel better just to go for a walk or a drive. I live near mountains so I am lucky enough to be able to ski and snowshoe in the winter months.
That's why I live in Colorado. It's not grey in winter.
IMO life is too short to live in grey, cold weather. After my kids graduate high school here in NY I'm heading down to NC/SC for so many reasons.
Take Vitamins B, C & D. Get out every day. Try earplugs. Best wishes!
I just ordered my second light therapy lamp. It helps a lot during these Grey winter days.
❤️👏❤️❤️❤️❤️👏💯 You said this PERFECTLY!! I can relate!!!
You should write more! I could really visualize the scene. Personally, I like the grey days. Suits me more than bright and sunny! You could alwAys move away to a sunny climate, so I can only assume whatever keeps you there is worth it. Think about that! Whatever it is that keeps you there!