HAPPY? FIRST DAY OF WINTER?

In my corner of the world, today marks the first day of winter. Temperatures are below freezing, there is the least amount of sunlight. Things that are really not conducive to a smiley, happy type outlook. I am not the biggest fan of winter. Things at dying all around me. I go to work when it is dark and when I leave work it is dark.

This year, however, I am working to change my outlook. Winter presents one of the biggest challenges for me. I suffer from a condition known as Seasonal Affective Disorder. It is where the lack of sunshine messes up your hormones and brain chemicals. This leads to things like fatigue, irritability and depression. These are not good qualities if you are a motivational author, speaker and blog writer.

Today not only marks the first day of winter, but three weeks to the day until I have open heart surgery. To be technical, for a small amount of time, I will be deceased during this procedure. That is to say, my heart will stop beating. God willing, after said time I will wake up again and begin to heal to be better than ever. It reminds me of winter turning into spring. Things die and then they are reborn.

So, I have decided, and I encourage you to do the same, to ‘put to death’ certain things in your life. Are there any negative habits you would like to rid yourself of? Toxic relationships you know you should really distance yourself from? Use this day, the first day of winter, the shortest day of the year, to kill off what doesn’t serve you in your own life. It will be a struggle, much like winter can be for me, but by spring we can be reborn with a healthy, more positive and rewarding life!