Thursday, December 27, 2012

A Christmas Without Tears

White rose of remembranceFor many years, I've dreaded the approach of the holiday season. As Thanksgiving neared, I would invariably find myself feeling on edge, sad and sluggish, often finding it difficult to even get out of bed in the morning. Getting out of the house and to work on time was a challenge, and often, my morning workouts would be put on the back burner, simply because I lacked energy and motivation. As much as I wanted to exercise, I just couldn't bring myself to go to the gym.

I had heard about a condition known as "seasonal affective disorder" (or SAD), which tends to affect individuals around the same time each year. Though I refused to put a label on what I was experiencing, I knew its origin, as well as how long it would last.