My boyfriend has been making me the butt of many of his jokes lately because when we first started dating, it was late Spring, and while we were on the topic of our favorite seasons, I said mine was Winter.

…Eventually, December hit, then came January, February made its way to town.

As it turns out, it’s not so much the reality of Winter that I love as it is the idea of Winter: warm cups of cocoa and green tea, movie marathons under cozy blankets, the sound of the fireplace in an otherwise silent home, watching snow fall, the smell of soup traveling through the house…seriously, I could go on and on!

But the romanticized version of this time of year isn’t the full picture…not even close. I don’t want to face it, but it’s true–people get sick, driving conditions are terrible, nobody wants to brave the cold to go anywhere, seasonal depression affects many of us, and once again, I could go on and on.

So, how do you beat the Winter Blues?  Do you focus on all the positive aspects of Winter, like I do? Do you take advantage of being forced to stay inside by cleaning/organizing your home? Maybe you just curl up on the couch and turn on your favorite show, giving it permission to completely distract you from your life for awhile (my favorite Winter activity).

Regardless of your go-to tactic for maintaining your sanity during these sometimes (ok, usually) dreadful months, I would like to remind you of a few things:

• Laughter is the best medicine, so if this weather makes you crabby–and sniffly–I recommend either The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel or Ellen Degeneres’s stand-up special Relatable.
• Tempting as it is to count down the days ‘til Summer, don’t let your flower-filled fantasies distract you from all the beauty today has to offer…even right here in Blo-No, in below zero temperatures.
• June is 119 days away.