Image courtesy of num_skyman at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

This past week I have been feeling the effects of the local time change (ahead one hour) and the change in the season. It’s strange how a warming trend, that should fill you with joy and excitement for the summer ahead, can suddenly make you feel so, so sleepy.

We have had a very cold winter here in Canada, and although it only started to get really cold (-30˚C to -40˚C, or as we have been calling it “!@##*& cold”) at the beginning of January, 2 months of ice and snow and -30 is long enough to break even the hardiest Canuck down to tears. I believe my body thought this was the end and it would never experience another summer again so it started to go into hibernation.

Like any good girl, I tried to keep up with my exercise plan, which usually involves an hour of cross-country skiing a day in the winter months with the dogs or walking our hilly, unpaved road but it proved too cold and too slippery. So I had to go to plan B and hit the gym with the occasional ski and yoga session. However, I’m dreadful at letting things slip and a back/knee injury didn’t help matters. I started making the usual excuses:

• “It’s too far to the gym”
• “I’ve got so much to do”
• “My clothes are so cold when I get there”
• “The dogs aren’t getting exercise if I go to the gym” (nice guilt trip Mum)

Pathetic, right? But we all make excuses like this and we know exactly what we’re doing. We’re putting it off, because we really don’t want to do it (whatever it is), we’re procrastinating! I know it’s good for me to exercise, I know I’ll feel really good afterwards, I know I’ll feel pride in the very fact that I’ve done something good for myself, but……… So now I’m suffering the consequences, sleepiness, lack of energy, the grumpies and guilt for letting myself down.

The good news is the winter is finally abating, the sun is out, the snow is melting, the dogs are escaping from the yard…….

Spring has sprung!!

No more excuses:

• My clothes won’t be so cold,
• It’s still a long way to the gym, but hey it’s a sunny, not slippy trip,
• The air smells great,
• The road is muddy, but walkable,
• My back has healed,

and

• Everyone is smiling again.
• Best of all I don’t have to wear my duvet of a coat.

Life is good and the best thing about winter is the end of it, when the snow starts to melt, the flowers start to appear and the maple syrup runs. A new year, a new life.

Here’s looking forward to a great year.

Amanda