If you’re like me, this is the time of year when you just want to hibernate.  It’s dark, bleak and cold outside, which makes it hard to get out of bed in the morning and easy to pass on going out at night.  I tend to get the blues because the holidays are over and, let’s face it, we’ve got a long way to go until Memorial Day.

This year I’ve taken precautions to keep myself cheery and motivated.  Here are some tips that I find helpful to beat the winter blues.

1.  Take vitamin D: The lack of sunlight during the winter months lowers your body’s level of vitamin D.  According to WebMD, some studies say that vitamin D helps boost mood by keeping levels of serotonin high, which wards off depression.  By taking a daily supplement of 1000 IU of vitamin D, you can help improve your mood and your immune system.

2.  Stay active: Exercise is another natural mood booster.  When it’s cold and dark, though, it’s hard to find the motivation to work out.  If it’s within your budget, join a gym for the winter.  I chose an expensive gym that’s less than five minutes from my house.  After work, I hop on the treadmill, tune into E! News and the Daily 10 and before I know it, an hour has passed.   On the weekends, if it’s warm enough, I take advantage of the sunlight and go for a walk on Jemison Trail.

3.  Use self-tanner: Each winter, it never fails that I look at a photo of me from the summer and yearn for that long-lost tan.  Now, I know you’re supposed to be paler this time of year.  But giving myself a little bit of color makes me look and feel better.  I like Faux Tan by Bare Escentuals.  Note: Do not go crazy with the self-tanner.  Orange is not natural.  Just apply enough to give yourself a healthy glow.

4.  Indulge in comfort food: This my all-time favorite category of food.  It means different things to different people.  But when the temperature drops, I think of hearty soups, chili, mashed potatoes, and all things carb.  So go ahead and have some.  I bet you’ll feel full and happy when you do.

5.  Make it a movie night: A cold winter night provides the perfect excuse to get cozy and have a movie night at home.  I love to bundle up in the quilt that my grandmother made me, light candles, have a glass of red wine and hit the couch for some Netflix action.   Another bonus: it’s free.

6.  Change your perspective: This is probably the most important tip.  Don’t stress yourself out over little things that don’t matter in the grand scheme of things.  Of course, it’s easier said than done.  But if you teach yourself to be thankful for the simple pleasures in life, you’ll be a lot happier.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Truer words were never spoken.

For the past three weeks, I have been traveling for work. My location: a small town in southeastern Indiana.

Let me back up a bit. I was born in Alabama, but I went to high school in a suburban town north of Indianapolis. Though I’m quite familiar with the Midwest, I never really adapted to it. When it came time for college, I knew I wanted to return to Alabama. I left Indiana and never looked back. Fast forward five years and where does my job take me? Back to Indiana.

As I’ve made my weekly journey from the Cincinnati airport to my work destination in Indiana, I’ve watched the terrain change from the gentle rolling hills of northern Kentucky and Ohio to the flat corn fields of the Hoosier state. In the past, I would have bumped up the speed upon entering Indiana because I never much cared for the scenery. When I say it’s flat…it’s really flat.

But these past couple of weeks, I find my self not minding it. Okay, well, sort of enjoying it. As I drive, I hear John Mellencamp playing in my head (he lives in Bloomington, Indiana, you know). The silos and farm houses cropping up out of the flat earth look so charming and cozy. When I drive through this part of the country, it feels quintessentially American.  And although I have a neutral accent, I can hear my voice revert back into the Midwestern lingo.

My colleagues and the folks who live in town have been so friendly and welcoming to me. The staff at my hotel know my name and give me nice little perks since they see me so much. Making friends up here has definitely enhanced the fun factor of my trips.

Although it’s nice sleeping in my big comfy hotel bed, the homesickness is starting to set in. When I finally get to come home to Birmingham for the weekends, I’m instantly on a natural high.

This past week, I returned to the Birmingham airport to find that my car wouldn’t start. When I popped the hood to inspect, I saw a blue powdery substance on the battery. I know little about cars, but even I knew that this wasn’t good. Had this happened on any other occasion, I would have been muttering four-letter expletives and possibly even kicked my tire out of frustration. But not even my corroded battery could kill my Bham buzz.

After a very nice security gentleman named Eric helped me jump off my car, I headed for home. As I approached downtown and saw the Birmingham skyline, I felt as if I had never seen a more beautiful sight. As I neared Red Mountain, it was like good ole Vulcan was welcoming me back.

Being away from home has made me realize how much I absolutely love our city. During my weekends—which never seem long enough—I take advantage of all Birmingham has to offer. This past weekend, I hit up Lakeview for the nightlife, did some shopping in Homewood, and dined al-fresco at Bottega Café. I tried to soak it all in.

As Monday rolled around it’s back to work and once again I made my journey to Indiana. This time, though, I keep Birmingham in the back of my mind and remember that it won’t be long before I’m home for good.

It’s time to face the harsh reality: I no longer have an official spring break. It’s been nearly two years since I left the comfy bubble of college yet I’m still coming to terms with this fact. I have an especially hard time knowing that my boyfriend, a law school student, still has a spring break.

This year, I declared one day of spring break for myself. My boyfriend and I took an extended weekend at Orange Beach, our dear Redneck Riviera.

This was not the beach trip of our college days where we divided our time equally between laying out on the beach and the hanging out at the FloraBama (and plenty of sleeping in to recover from the latter). In fact, we did not visit the establishment at all. This time I experienced a different side of Orange Beach and discovered that I really like it.

Now, I never really thought of myself as a “beach” person. For one, my fair skin and the sun do not get along. No matter how much sunscreen I slather on I always end up with weird blotchy burns. Second, it’s hard to like the beach when one is not a fan of sand. Third, I grew up in a household where a familiar saying was, “If you’ve seen one beach, you’ve seen them all.”

After this trip, however, I discovered that there is something at Alabama’s beautiful beaches for everyone—even us pale, indoorsy people. To me, the best part about the Gulf is its laid-back, unpretentious atmosphere. It’s hard to be stressed about anything when you close your eyes, listen to the waves rolling onto the shore and feel the sun on your skin. And I love the fact that you really don’t need to get too dressed up to go anywhere at the beach. Flops and un-done hair are pretty much okay everywhere.

Of course, when you take a trip to the Gulf you have to take advantage of the fresh seafood. It’s the perfect excuse to gorge yourself because, hey, you don’t get this kind of food everyday. If you go off the beaten path, you can find some great (often quirky) local restaurants with extremely reasonable prices and delicious food. Thus, the foodies are happy.

Some of my favorite memories of the beach are the evenings and late nights spent with friends and family, just sitting out on the balcony and having great conversation. Being by the sea somehow seems to set our priorities straight. The small, ultimately insignificant stresses of everyday life wash away and we remember what’s really important.