baby, it's cold outside.

I get the winter blues.

for a long time, I didn't make the correlation between my mood and the weather. I chalked it up to hormones, having lady parts, little inconveniences, etc.

but it was affecting my lifestyle in a big way for a number of years - beginning in early November, and ending in late March. I would have to drop classes at my University because I was having anxiety attacks, my performance at work would falter, I would be more prone to habits like over/under eating, cutting off contact with friends and family, binge drinking, and other destructive activities.

I've realized over the past year or so that this is something that 1) is consistent from year to year, and 2) affects a LOT of other people besides me.

I've already begun to feel the effects in the past few months of this problem. I definitely haven't had motivation to plan for my goals and pursue them, and my diet/exercise was close to nonexistent for about 3 weeks around the holidays. and just today, I looked outside at the 4 degree Fahrenheit weather and the clouds, and thought... you know... it would be nice to go home and have some soup and read a book, instead of doing yoga.

BUT

the days where you have only half a will to do something... those are the days most crucial to your progress, where you will break the bonds of your habits.

so

I am going to yoga tonight. 5:30.

and I will do it with a smile on my face.