As I sit here at work, on a somber Monday afternoon, all I can think about is how I want to roll into a ball, be in bed, and eat everything in my fridge and pantry.
It’s foggy, bitter cold, and grey out. I can barely keep my eyes open (even though I had about 3 cups of coffee today) and I have zero motivation to do anything (besides writing this article, of course). On a typical Monday, I go to work, class and then the gym for about two hours to distress, relax, and begin my week off with a refreshing start.
I don’t like to make excuses to not be active, and I really don’t like to permit myself to eat junk food or anything unhealthy, especially if I didn’t work out. But today I am making an exception. The gloomy sky and ghostly weather are inviting me to curl up with a big bowl of mac and cheese and watch some corny love story on Netflix, or re-runs of the mindless yet obnoxiously entertaining, Gossip Girl. I know I am not the only one who feels this way.
Naturally, when it’s sunny and breezy out, I want to be outside—that’s a given. I refuse to plop on my couch watching TV, or even do homework, especially if it requires me to sit at a desk inside when I am well aware of the beaming sun shining through my window; it feels like a waste of a day. I could choose to be a blob any other day, so why do it when it is beautiful out?
Sunny, warm weather is simply the universe telling me to leave my house, go for a hike, buy myself an ice cream cone and explore. So, on a day like today, when I am simply exhausted and in an "eh" mood because of the temperature outside and the color of the sky, I am 100% supportive of my decision to stay confined between my mattress and over-sized duvet blanket…thank you very much! After all, the weather basically told me to by being it’s ugly self today, so all I did was oblige!
However, I’m not "hating" or "dissing" the colder weather in any way. Frankly, I am from the Northeast and had the option of going to school anywhere in the country and guess where I chose to go? Ithaca, a place where the summers are inviting and full of life and beauty, but also where the winters are brutal and temperatures can drop below freezing.
Call me crazy, but I love having an excuse to be a lazy slug on days when the sky is dark throughout all hours of the day. After a tedious week of school and a weekend full of staying up late and partying, I truly get excited for a stormy Sunday. I can unwind and chill while not feeling guilty about snacking in bed and leaving the blinds closed while I am curled up in my robe and fuzzy socks.
For some people, the weather doesn’t ignite these emotions or inhibit activities they've planned. Kudos to those who will still go for a run despite the bite in the air, but that is just not me. I genuinely enjoy and embrace those icky days when the universe and my mind is simply telling me "No," and that I may need to relax and take a day off. I think I may just need those days.
