Needless to say, it’s been an EXTREMELY cold winter due to the polar vortex. I can’t remember a winter worse than this one, which is probably because the last time the temperatures hit this low was about 20 years or so ago. This winter has brought upon me a case of the winter blues. I’m not in the mood to do much of anything, and besides work at Brooks Kushman, work with our challenge partner, Coalition on Temporary Shelter (COTS) and doing work for the challenge in my spare time, I’ve mostly just spent my time alone catching up on TV shows or just pretty much doing nothing.
Thankfully, work at my host company and our work with COTS both keep me inspired and keep me from slumping completely into a depressed state of mind. It looks like it’s going to be a while until the weather improves, so until then, I’ve found a few things that may keep me going.
1.) Get a gym membership.
– The hard part of working out is starting. I worked out and ate healthy this summer and made progress. I started looking better, feeling better, and had a lot more energy. It’s time to do that again. Now I just need to find myself a gym. The tie is between the Wayne State University gym (since it’s only a block away from my apartment) and LA fitness in one of the nearby suburbs. I’m looking for something that is affordable and close to both my home in Detroit and my work in Southfield. The goal is to have found a gym by the end of this month…. or sooner!
2.) BOOKS!
I used to be the biggest book geek ever. When I was younger, I swear I read the 800+ page Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (the 7th and unfortunately final book of the series) within 3-4 days… maybe even less! I sort of lost that along the way and started reading less than before once I started college at Oakland University back in 2008. Sure, I still read occasionally, but definitely not as much as I used to. Honestly, the only thing I had time to read were my thick, heavy and boring textbooks. Well, I’ve been done with school for nearly a year now, so I think it’s time to pick up the slack and start reading hardcore again until I go back to school for further education and allow that to take over my life.
In Beverly Hills, just a few miles from my work, I discovered a bookstore called Books a Million that has a section of books sold at an amazing discount. I happily bought two books by Mitch Albom called “The Five People You Meet in Heaven” and “Have a Little Faith” for an incredibly low price!
My next step will be to get a Detroit Public Library card and to find great places to relax and read quietly in the city.
3.) Always remembering that I am more blessed than I sometimes realize.
This incredibly cold winter and our work with COTS has been a constant reminder of just how fortunate I am. Many people have not had the luxury of a having a roof over their head and food to eat during this dangerously cold winter, as well as during other times of the year as well. Realizing this may be heartbreaking, but keeping this in mind will keep me grounded and allow me to help those in need to the best of my ability.
Until next time,
Shivani