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Knitting Through the Winter Blahs

Does anyone else become slightly brain dead in January?

I think maybe it’s the busyness of Christmas that does me in.  Follow me along on this tangent:  I’m an introvert.  I’ve been reading about introversion and what it means.  I’ve read The Introvert Advantage by Marti Olsen Laney, and it blew my mind.  Now, I’m reading Introverts in the Church by Adam S. McHugh, and again — mind blown.  So my theory is that after all the extroverting necessary to make it through the month of December, I am in such desperate need of solitude that my brain shuts down.

I’ve actually struggled with depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder over the years, and January has always been the worst.  But now I’m wondering if it’s been exacerbated by exhaustion.

What does this have to do with knitting?  Now that my brief tangent is over, let me say this:  I usually can’t knit anything more complicated than a garter stitch blanket come New Year’s.  And yet, my goal is to be more faithful and consistent in blogging, designing, and general creativity.

Ha!

But something has happened, and I am surprising myself.  I’ve been reading Introverts in the Church at just the right time, it seems, to realize that maybe I’m not depressed and brain dead… maybe I’m just tired.  Maybe I just need a break.  Maybe I just need some solitude.

So, I’ve been seeking it out.  And I’m not apologizing for it, either.  I’m carving out breaks, I’m taking naps, and I’m staying home from church.  I have been saying no to just about every new group or outing that comes up, except the ones that will recharge me.  And it’s working!  In mid-January, my brain is switching back on, and it’s not even spring time yet.

This is unprecedented.

I’m even doing a little designing of my own again.  And I spent the afternoon knitting and taking an online class about spreadsheets & knitting pattern sizing.  (From Craftsy.  It’s awesome.)

I think I’ll keep up this pattern of [enjoy life, take a nap], repeat.

What do you do to survive the winter blahs?

 

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For the curious, here is the class I’m taking:

Online Knitting Class

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1 thought on “Knitting Through the Winter Blahs

  1. I had no mojo to start the year so I knit a dishcloth. After the first week of the kids being back in school my brain started working again. The holidays are super stressful and routine tends to go out the window, which doesn’t help me.

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