Eclectic: Regina - Feeling Good as We Get Close to the Fall and Winter

By Regina Price

In the fall and later on — during winter -- makes many of us very sad and worried. But, really, it is the time to contemplate and relish our ideas and write about them -- or think about them -- during the few winter months that we do have.  Sometimes it is the time to learn new things and experience novel things.  It is time to add new things into our lives and practice them – whether it is being an artist type and taking photos, painting or carving wood, going to yoga classes, reading or listening to new music or books.


Last year, I decided to plant bulbs — which I did in the fall because in the spring they could come up early and bloom.  This made me smile and be happy.  It was work — planting about 100 bulbs -- but the flowers were amazing and it made me very proud and excited about the year. This fall, I will be too busy and couldn’t find the time to plant more bulbs but I will sit down and drew a picture of our place and indicate new things that my husband and I can plant in the spring to make our acreage nicer.  It isn’t a nice picture but it will be functional so my husband and me can see it and understand it.

Also, I have the possibility to listen to some DVD’s to learn new stuff — learning about the memory, aging and about older music.  I can hardly wait.  Perhaps listening to a new story or a course can be very interesting and fun.  Sometimes, going to the library and picking up an old movie makes me feel better.

This year, I will take my granddaughter to the symphony for kids — I will enjoy it as much as she could because watching and listening to her makes me smile and happy.  I might take her to a wilderness centre on a good, warm day to get her to try out cross country skiing and we can trundle around a bit.

Sometimes, it is interesting to go to the mall and watch people -- while enjoying a tea or coffee.  In my past life, I watched people often and it made me think about becoming a psychologist before I become one.  It was very enlightening and educational to watch people.  Now-a-days it is very instructional to watch my two dogs and get ideas what motivates them -- this makes me a good owner.  When I don’t understand whatever they are going, it makes me got to the library and pick out books or DVD’s that would help me.

In the past years, my friend and I decided that we should walk around for about 45 minutes in the winter during sunny days to get rays and feel better.  We went once or twice a month and it helped us both.  I had seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and going walking outside really helped me feel restored.

There are so many opportunities that we could utilize to make our lives better and our emotional stamina stronger.  Let me know what ideas you have to make your lives less stressful and happier …