Oh, those winter blues...

Barbara Phinney here. Recently, I noticed that some people were a little crabby. It was on a loop, and they were quite testy. Last week, a woman rammed my grocery cart and yelled at me because I was in her way. Last night, I learned that my pastor's mother was feeling a little blue, and another woman felt her mother was also.

It's a tough time of year. Regardless of the fact that most of us have enjoyed a nice winter so far, the lack of sunlight, and mounting debts can bring to a grinding halt even the most bubbly of personalities. And with flu season here, and children generously spreading their germs around us, we can succumb in more ways than one.

What can we do?  We all don't have access to light therapy, or a chance to fly off to sunnier and warmer places. Here are some tips I have gathered to help us all out.

Keep moving. Get up and exercise. Yup, I hate it too. And if you're already doing that, good for you!  But why not encourage someone else? Break out the Wii and challenge someone to bowling or golf. Did you know that Wii will kick you off a golf course if you get a high enough score? Learned that the hard way.

Host a dinner/movie/fun night. Or attend one. Bring popcorn and tissues if necessary. Plan a dinner for a few friends. We did that the other day and played that game Apples to Apples. Everyone had a blast.

Get outside. Check out the sun on your face. Take your vitamins, Eat porridge and lentils and spinach and avocado. Maybe not all at once, though. But these food help mood.

Volunteer. Anywhere, but have fun. Spend time doing something fun, smiling all the time, and just relax. And when it's all done, get plenty of sleep.

Do you have any hints on how to get through this season?

Barbara writes inspirational romantic suspense. Check out her books here.
http://www.amazon.com/Barbara-Phinney/e/B001HPFZ16/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
or
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/barbara-phinney