I just need to get all of this off my chest. Feel free to not read it or read it – whichever you want!

tl;dr – I’m missing Arizona and hate the gloomy weather! 

If there’s one thing that will forever and always be true about me, it’s that the weather effects my moods. It effects my energy, my happiness, and my self-esteem. I know it shouldn’t. I know that the weather is something I cannot control, so I shouldn’t let it effect me … but it does.

Growing up in Michigan, there are about 6-7 months of gray, nasty, winters each year. And each year I struggled with depression during those months. Seasonal Affective Disorder is real. It’s a thing. Don’t ever let anyone tell you it’s not.

Moving from the Valley of the Sun in Arizona to Alabama has been tough. That’s the understatement of the century. This week has been particularly gloomy and lonely. I’m an extrovert to my core and really miss being around people. Not just my friends, but people in general. In Arizona I lived in a very active, bustling area. I lived by Downtown Chandler where there was always something going on, and we lived in an apartment complex where there were always people around.

In Alabama, I live in a sleepy little town in a neighborhood where none of our neighbors know each other. To give you a feel – someone posted on the local community board about fun things to do. 99% of the posts were about church and the other 1% was about hiking and outdoor activities. Which, don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with church and hiking, but where I’m from, there are festivals and events going on every day!

So, I’ve just been lonely and a little depressed. And, to top it all off, I’ve been eating my feelings. And, I’m SUCH a huge compare-er. I follow a lot of people on social media who have lost a lot of weight, eat clean, and workout everyday. So when I’m having a particularly bad weekend, I look on there and feel even worse. I know, I know. #1. Don’t Compare. #2. Stay off social media sometimes.

Anyway, I’ve just been having a bad week. A friend and I are supposed to have dinner today. I really hope that pans out so that I can get out of the house and be around other people for a while!