SAD

Wintertime seems to challenge my attitude. It’s a challenge not to be SAD. SAD is the acronym from “Seasonal Affective Disorder,” also known as the winter blues or winter depression.

I recognized how winter affected me the first year we lived in Missouri. It was certainly a more moderate climate than Michigan, but we moved there after living in Florida for five years. I loved that daily sunshine and missed it greatly. That first winter in Missouri left me feeling like I'd never be warm again. Sad!

We're in the midst of the coldest, snowiest winter we’ve had in awhile. I'm looking forward to being warm once more. But, my responsibilities call for hope and encouragement. Maybe it’s okay to be sad for a day or two, but not the whole winter.

It’s about mental attitude. I like Dale Galloway’s comment: “Change negative attitudes to positive ones and change your world.”

I like this unknown quote:

“Your attitude can …

… Make you or break you.

… Heal you or hurt you.

… Make you friends or make you enemies.

… Put you uptight or put you at ease.

… Make you miserable or make you happy.

… Make you a failure or make you an achiever.”

Are you sad? Do you need an attitude adjustment?

Begin by renewing your mind. Take charge of your thoughts rather than pining away in negative, destructive thought patterns.

Practice the Apostle Paul’s prescription:

Philippians 4:8 (NIV)
⁸Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.

There’s no need to continue in sadness.