S.A.D. At the End of Winter

     This winter has been upside down. When in the middle of dysfunctional days, the urge to hide from the outside world creeps up like a spider web. Pretty soon November, December, and January have passed and February is almost gone. I look back and see one long cycle of disturbed circadian rhythm, where sleep times are upside down. Waking up at 3:00 in the afternoon, after sleeping from 6:00 a.m.

     Instead of taking steps to halt what is easily defined as dysfunction, I have come to a kinder place and changed my shame-based ideas. This cycle is how I function. I wake up in a better mood at 3:00 p.m. I get some things done and feel more peaceful. I feel safer at home today. It is OKAY.

     I am going to try to grow my day from a place of self-acceptance. I am going to tell myself encouraging, accepting messages. Instead of calling it Seasonal Affective Disorder, a negative and disturbing "diagnosis"; this is simply a seasonal change in how I function best.