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Are you stuck in the Winter Blues? I’ve created a little something fun to share with my Story World Newsletter Subscribers. Not a subscriber? No worries. I'll provide a link where you can sign up and still get the January freebie. If you decide my Story World doesn’t interest you, unsubscribe anytime. Whether you have the game board or not, there are still a lot of fun things you can do to liven up the winter months and keep away the gloomy blues. Want some inspiration? Keep reading.  Almost every year during January and February, between the shorter days, cloudy weather, and cold temperatures, I can easily fall into the seasonal glooms. What I’ve learned is that if I find something fun to occupy my time, like a project or something I can do, then my spirits stay lifted. Especially if I find something that causes much laughter, includes friends and family, and maybe a bit of glitter and paper. (And if it includes a cup of hot tea or hot chocolate, all the better!)  A happy winter is full of good sustenance. Warm bread, homemade if possible, though it can always be bought fresh from a bakery. You deserve the splurge, just do it. Pair that with a comforting bowl of hot soup to keep you warm on a chilly night. Top it off with your favorite movie and some buttery popcorn. Be sure to invite family and friends to join you. That makes the treat extra special. While we’re at it, invite a friend to join you for coffee, or some hot chocolate to help thaw you from a day on the run. See where I’m going with this? I've included challenges to do with others or challenges to do on your own, such as journaling about why you love winter. Be sure to grab you a new notebook to start a new year. While you’re sitting at your desk writing, light a few candles for that cozy ambiance. Since you have everything set, why not jot a thank you note to a friend who’s blessed you lately? Check, check, check… If the weather is nice, be sure to get outside. We need at least an hour a day in the sun for good physical and mental health. Bundle up in your winter finest, take a walk, explore nature, and grab a few cones and branches to give your home a natural feeling to its décor. Simple, cheap, and truly beautiful. Use some of your pinecones to make bird feeders from peanut butter and seeds. This is a great activity to do with little ones. And your feathered friends will certainly appreciate it. So will the bushy-tailed ones.  A few fun activities: plan a football-watching party. Go ice skating or how about a bowling night? All of these things can be done alone or with others. While you’re out, visit a bookshop and grab a fun wintery-themed read, or maybe a puzzle you can put together by candlelight with a nice cup of hot tea. Oh, and be sure to check each item off as you go to see if you can get them all done by spring. Because I’ll have another bingo game for you by then. I love these silly, little challenges because they spur me on to not grow stagnant or allow the seasonal blues to creep in. Staying active, making time to pamper yourself and your home, are the best medicine for having a healthy, happy restful season. “Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand, and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.” --Edith Sitwell Finally, a really great way to brighten a gloomy day is to buy yourself a bouquet of flowers. They don’t have to be fancy, or expensive. Many stores have those bouquet bins with affordable flowers. Treat yourself to the promise of spring and know that seasons come and go. That’s God’s way of telling us to hang in there, whatever might be troubling you now is sure to change as better days are just ahead. Blessings to you! J Castle 
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Mary Ann Flores
1/19/2024 10:30:54 am
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Author & Artist Jackie Castle
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