68: [Guest] Winter Is Coming... Tips and Tricks to Avoid SAD

Transcript

0:06

Welcome to the Fill Your Cubs podcast. We're your hosts Morgan and Bailey. Hey guys, we have a little copy paste action happening here today if you're watching on YouTube, because today we have our sister and best friend and all the things. Chloe love with us and Yes. And we all take after our moms, so if you're watching on YouTube, you can definitely see that. Mm-hmm. We're not triplets age gaps between us all. De definitely. Yes. So we're excited to have her on. We were, we've just been chatting about this topic with the winter months coming up. Mm-hmm. The temperature is finally dropping a little bit. Mm-hmm. Supposed to be. That's what they say. Yes. And so we're looking at this kind of like one of Bailey's fave preventative episode situations. Mm-hmm. So we are gonna talk a little bit about that. But before we get into the episode, Bailey, let's fill in your cup today. I've got a, a hot coffee from Scout. And it was the, the hold on. Sticky toffee pudding. It was a sticky toffee pudding. So that's what's filling my cup today. It's quite yummy. I did add like two or three stevias in it because I actually feel like scout does not make their coffee super, super sweet. Mm-hmm. Like I feel like I always need to add a little bit of something, so, yeah. Yeah, it's really good. What's filling your cup? I also have a scout coffee drink, and it's an almond milk. Dirty chai. Ooh, dirty. Yes. I gotta have that espresso if I'm drinking it early in the morning. Yes. But I just love the way they make it. Honestly. I, I, whatever they do to their, whatever espresso they use, I love, I mean, I know it's their own beans. I love that. And then. Obviously chai is a thing that I like too, so, yeah. Heck yeah. Chloe love. What's filling your cup? I got a chocolate latte iced coffee from Scout. Nice. It's actually really good. I love chocolate coffee. I'm not gonna lie, I'm, I'm pretty sure you told me it was a chocoholic. Hmm. It's a choa, holic, chocoholic, choa, holic, latte, whatever. Yes. It makes sense that you like chocolate, um, coffees'cause you love chocolate milk. Mm-hmm. Makes sense. I always really like. Vanilla or caramel lattes. Mm-hmm. Because I love caramel, so I feel like that's usually what I go for. So Yeah. It makes sense that you like the chocolate ones. It's my go-to QuickTrip drink. Oh yeah. That's funny.'cause I feel like I like chai because it's cinnamon. Yeah. And I'm big on the. On cinnamon, so yeah, there you go. Yeah. So if you guys listen to our Taylor episode two weeks ago, back when Taylor and Travis first announced their engagement, we also had scout coffee then, and we shouted them out. But today they're not our shout out. No. We have a different shout out today. Today's shout out is for a Mr. Julian, who is Chloe Love's Boyfriend. Boyfriend, okay. Boyfriend. Who's Chloe love's boyfriend. He has been a recent supporter of the podcast. We just saw that he started following us on like Instagram. I think he's listening to a couple episodes. Just really sweet and very much something that, you know, your men should be doing for you guys. They should be supporting. Heck yeah. Yeah, we you saw that he followed us on Instagram, which I didn't see that. But then Bailey or Chloe Love and I were at. Volleyball. This is gonna be really hard for me. I was gonna say, the names is gonna be really hard for me because I call you guys each other's names all the time. Yes, it happens. But anyway, Chloe Love was at volleyball and she was saying how, how Julian told her he listened to the Enneagram episode. Mm-hmm. Which is so cute to me, and how he wanted to. Test each other, whatever or type each other, you know? Yeah. And that Enneagram episode was real early on in our podcast. It was a while ago. It was episode nine. Yes. So that Oh my God. Yeah. And we're on like in the sixties, Uhhuh. Yeah. Almost to 69. Yeah. He started from the beginning because. It was whenever he was doing his work, his long care work, so, oh, so he would just listen to it while doing that? Mm-hmm. Awesome. He got tired of music, so he just, he was like, oh, I'll just put on this podcast. And for a second he was like, they just, it sounds like you are talking to me. And I was like, that's insane. That's so funny. Well shout out to you, Julian. We love the support that you're giving our little sister, and we love the support that you're giving us and we really appreciate you. We as always, love new followers, new listeners, new supporters, so thank you for that as well. Yes. Well, moving into the episode. So this came about in a few different ways. Mm-hmm. I thought it would just be really fun to have Chloe love on at some point because mm-hmm. Honestly, sometimes I just think that having a different demographic or different voice or whatever Yeah. Is helpful. And even though Chloe love is less like us mm-hmm. She, there is an age gap like you were saying. So it, it was fun. And then going into the. Colder months. This has brought about, I think, some conversations with you and mom about going into the winter months and avoiding, you know, kind of that seasonal depression that some of us get Yeah. Mm-hmm. And whatnot. And so I just thought it would be fun. It's gonna be less interview style than when we have other guests on. Mm-hmm. But just to talk about kind of like we said, preventative about, yeah. Dropping the mood whenever it goes into the winter months. Mm-hmm. So I did look up some information about seasonal depression. Yes. Yeah. So technically. Only like 5% of Americans get the diagnosis of sad, which is the seasonal affective disorder. That's like the official whatever. When I saw that, you put sad on there, like the episode titles can be like, how to avoid getting sad or something along those lines. I was like, I was like sad seasonal as depression an. What a sad stand for season of last depression. Man, I didn't even think it was gonna be an like an acronym. Acronym. I just thought it was sad in all casts. Yeah. How avoid getting sad. I avoid the sad. You know what? Yeah. Sad. I don't, I'm curious with people listening if they know what SAD is, because Derek and I talk about it almost every winter. So Yeah. So in all honesty, I don't, this doesn't affect me too much. I definitely could see. That my mood may be a little bit lower whenever it gets cold and dark and all that. Yeah. But I, this doesn't affect me too much, but it does affect Jared pretty bad. And so I do, so I'll probably speak a little bit more to what has helped him that I've seen third party, whenever we are talking a little bit about it. Yeah. But would you like, would you say that you, I feel like I. I feel like I wanna say yes and no. Like I have felt before that I have gotten seasonal depression, but I, you guys know, I'm so bad with like tunnel vision, so I forget how I feel when I'm out of it. Mm-hmm. So I'm like, could I really like consider a seasonal depression or could I just consider it more of being like, ugh. Winter months sucked. Just getting dragged down a bit. Yeah, yeah. Just like feeling a little bit down. So I don't know, maybe I'll let you know in like November or December how I feel, but I do think that I do get a more Yeah. Down. Yeah, in the, I could totally see that I, the. I can't speak to you. Mm-hmm. But when I was thinking about it, I was like, I know I don't struggle too much with this. Yes. There are times that it being dark sucks or it being cold sucks. Yeah. But I don't feel like I struggle too much with this. And then when I was thinking about you, and obviously depression and lower mood and that sort of stuff, it's not always surface level, so it's not always transparent. But I feel like I know you that well, but when I was thinking about you, I was thinking about. And it's easy for me because I have Jared and then I have you. So there's, you two are very different. Yeah. And I see you both a lot and I was thinking, you know, it doesn't seem like you kind of experience it as hardcore. And so that's why I was like, well, it'll be good to have Chloe love on. Mm-hmm. Because I know that he has experienced it. Yeah. Yeah. So, I know that you have said that you kind of experienced this and you're mm-hmm. Working, formulating a plan Yes. To get ahead of it. So, so yeah, so I think it's definitely a relevant episode. And yeah, this is coming out in September, so we still might have a random, hot, warm, whatever time, heat flash, but, but before we know it, I feel like the sun is gonna start going down at like five o'clock. Mm-hmm. It's gonna be freezing. You're not gonna wanna leave your bed in the morning. It's gonna be daylight savings, I forget. Don't even know. Actually, aren't they supposed to do away with that? Last year, I swear it's been talked about so many times. Yeah. Like, we're gonna stop doing. It's been so disgusted. Oh my gosh. Yeah. I don't know. I don't know. Anyway, but yeah, and then I also, so even though I said 5% ha get sad. Mm-hmm. Which we all know is seasonal effective disorder. By now, even though 5% get sad at the A PA American sec. Tric Association shows that nearly 40% of us, so almost half of us, not quite, yeah. But nearly 40% of us report declining mood during winter. Mm-hmm. So it's, it also was interesting to me when I was reading about it, that this can affect women and teens more than men or adults. Yeah. Which I thought was really interesting. I know, right? I know right now that. Depression and whatnot is really rough for teenagers in general. Mm-hmm. But I thought it was interesting about women and teens, and I was like, I wonder if there's something hormonal going on there. Yeah. Yeah. I wonder what that is that. Makes them more susceptible. Yeah. Especially since my example before Chloe Love was an adult male. Yeah. Which, it's not to say that they don't get it. No, no. Because I would say that Mason gets seasonal depression worse than I do. Oh, okay. But I mean, those are just two of the men that we know out of hundreds. Yeah. Yeah. So I think we should start talking about it. So what, I guess, what would we say. What does it feel like generally? Yeah, like Chloe love, whenever you're noticing that, like you're getting that seasonal depression. What's that like? Honestly, my first sign is that. I procrastinate worse than I do normally throughout the year, and I'm, I'm a terrible procrastinator, you know, I get it from dad and I just, I hold everything off and yada, yada, yada uhhuh. But especially during like the winter months and the colder months mm-hmm. Um, I just feel weighed down and it's just so heavy. Yeah. And I get overwhelmed so much more easier Yeah. Than I would during like the summer or the spring or even like. As much as the fall, but it's mainly in the winter. Mm-hmm. And sometimes it does feel like it's just dark and it's just cold. But my first sign is definitely that procrastination and I just put everything off to the side. Yeah, no, I totally get that one. I feel like I. I was gonna say, nevermind. I don't wanna say any of that. I kind of feel like you've actually said before that procrastinating and putting stuff off and avoiding stuff is one of your first signs that you're like in a slump kind of. Yeah, no, it absolutely is. Mm-hmm. It absolutely is. But I was gonna say that like in the winter, I feel like normally I get a little kickstart of like starting habits again because I slacked off so much at the beginning of the year just because I was having so much fun. Mm-hmm. So I'm like, I can't tell. So I don't know. You know, sometimes that's how it is for me. Um, whenever school starts up again after the summer mm-hmm. I lose all of these good organized habits that I had during the school year. And whenever school year picks back up, I'm back on them and I'm on track. Yeah. But the moment starts getting colder, I start falling off those habits and that's it. It truly is my first sign that I'm just. Getting into, you know, seasonal depression. Yeah. Just that slump and I'm feeling heavy and just down all the time. Yeah. Ugh. Do you feel like those moments like creep up on you or do you feel like you're aware that it's happening and like you're aware that it's starting to become a trend? I feel like. Um, most of the time, most recently, they've just crept up on me and it's kind of a surprise whenever it happens. Mm-hmm. Because I'm not being very aware of it. Mm-hmm. It's just like all of a sudden. Mm-hmm. You kinda like boiled over Exactly. For the, yeah. Past couple of years it's just been, oh, well there's that feeling again. Mm-hmm. Guess I'm in that, uh, but this year I've been trying to really be mindful about it and find and pinpoint whenever I'm feeling that way. Yeah. Just so I can help, you know, prevent it. Yeah. So can I ask like, what made, sorry, this is kind of interview style, but I really am curious, can I ask No worries. What made you like want to start preventing it? Or like what made it something that was like top of mind for you? Um, I don't, it was my grades. My grades felt so hard because I was putting off all my work and all my assign last year, Uhhuh, especially sophomore year actually. It probably was sophomore year. That first. That was a rough year for you? It was. It actually was. And I think the classes that I was taking did not help. Yeah. Whatsoever.'cause I was taking all my like AP honors, there was so much pressure on you in sophomore year and I was like, oh my God, we're not even the junior year worst. Mm-hmm. And all my teachers are talking about like colleges and I'm like, okay, hang on, I'm 15. Put a pause in it. Does relate back to my previous years, uh, because it was my grades and I really wanna stay on top of my grades this year because I know if I'm falling off of them, it's so difficult for me to get them back up like in the spring. Yeah. By then, it's like the end of the year. Everybody else is done with their stuff. So I just naturally flow with everybody else and I'm like, okay, I guess I'm done with my stuff whenever in reality, I'm not getting close. Yeah, it's the reality. You're actually behind. You're like, ah. Exactly, exactly. So this year I really just wanted to make sure. I could stay on top of my grades, and that meant I had to prevent a whole bunch of stuff from happening. So when you said that procrastination is your first sign, are you thinking of that mainly with like procrastinating, homework, or studying or kind of school focus? Or do you find it in other things too? Like your procrastinating put, putting your clothes away, or procrastinating doing chores or procrastinating? I don't know what other thing, what other responsibilities you have, but, well, it really is just procrastinating, like throughout my whole life, the most noticeable one for me would be schoolwork. Mm-hmm. But even right now, like I have a whole bunch of clothes just on my floor at home because I don't wanna put them away. And it gets so overwhelming because the thought of doing it is. It's exertion and it's putting my body through stuff that I just don't really wanna do. Yeah. In that moment. And then they pile up and then it's even more overwhelming.'cause my room is a mess. I hate that feeling. So I procrastinate that put off something for so long that now it's like a mess. Like, oh crap. Yeah. And then you put that one off too. Exactly. Exactly. And then I'll even. Say, I get home and mom's at work and Jordan's at work and dad's at work, so I get home to an empty house and it's just the dogs. Mm-hmm. I will procrastinate, like taking the stools off the couch'cause I don't wanna do it right Then I feel exhausted and it's not even just. Exhausted after a day of school. I'm just exhausted mentally and I'm, yeah. I'm thinking of all the different things in my week that I have to do. Mm-hmm. And it's literally, it's just a Monday, guys like, yeah. Yeah. Uh, or a Tuesday maybe. Like, we just started, um, Uhhuh and I'll procrastinate doing my chores, vacuuming the floors, or doing dishes and, and sniffing. And I'll just kind of like, normally I'll go back to mom and dad's bed and I'll take a nap because I feel so tired. Yeah. I was, yeah, I was curious because I, school is such a tangible thing and kind of a calculable or like measurable thing, and obviously not everybody listening to this has school anymore. And so it's, it's interesting to see where it piles up in other places and God love him. I don't think Jared will care if I, because mostly I'm thinking about him during this season. Mm-hmm. But he, when you started talking about the procrastination, I was thinking about. In the winters, that's when he's most likely to procrastinate. Getting a haircut. Mm-hmm. Or procrastinate, shaving his beard. Yeah. Or procrastinate, you know, if he has something that he needs to do with his car or the yard. Mm-hmm. I guess in the yard your yard does. Mm-hmm. So maybe not that, but just things like that. I have noticed before the buildup, and it's not something I've been consciously aware of, but when I'm thinking about it now, I'm like, yeah, in the spring he's. Gonna get haircuts way more regularly than in the winter. Mm-hmm. So I was just thinking about there are some things that maybe creep up that you didn't even realize until you've got a full head of hair. Mm-hmm. Or whatever. And that's something that people don't really talk about, especially with like depression. They don't talk about how it affects like your thoughts like about yourself and you're not really thinking and like the self care uhhuh and you're not really thinking about like. Very personal hygiene things. Yeah. You know, I will procrastinate taking a shower for a couple days.'cause it's just, it's mentally exhausting to even think about it. Mm-hmm. And you know, like shaving my legs. I don't wanna shave my legs during the winter because I just, I don't want to. Yeah. Yeah. Like whenever you get into those moments, it's like you also don't care. Mm-hmm. So like why am I think like you don't even think about that. Mm-hmm. Whenever you're in those moments. Exactly. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Sorry, I'm, now, I'm just thinking out loud. But I also think when I'm thinking about it and I'm thinking about, it's dark and it's cold, and even just now when you said the shaving, you're like, things like we're wearing more clothes. I just feel like in general, in winter we're holed up a lot more. Yes. Mm-hmm. So it's a bit easier to You're always inside, go down into yourself. Yeah, and, and nobody and. Not let other people see that because you're not around people as much, maybe. Mm-hmm. Exactly. Or when you are around people, yeah, you're really covered up or whatever. You know, it's, it's interesting that it makes it. Just it being colder and darker makes it easier to kind of shell yourself off. Yeah. It, I mean, like, legit reminds me of a bear like hibernating during the winter months. Like that's what we do as people too. Yeah. And, and then if you're not careful, like all of a sudden no one's seen you for six months. Yeah. You come out and like, Hey guys, and then you're huge. Yeah, you're huge and you're hairy. Wait, that's a crazy analogy. That's so accurate. That's so funny. Oh my gosh. Well, yeah, I think that's really interesting. I'm, I'm curious, what, when do you. So you've, you've been talking about this, this is why it came up. Mm-hmm. You've been talking about we're gonna get ready, we're gonna like, try to avoid this as much as we can. Mm-hmm. And just have some sort of plan. So when do you feel like it starts getting the worst? Like, what months could you pinpoint? I guess? I guess it would definitely have to be in August in Ally. Wow. Mm-hmm. Yeah. It starts early for me, but I think that's also, it just relates to. Grief, you know, over John because that's whenever seasonal depression first hit me the hardest mm-hmm. Was whenever he died. Mm-hmm. Um, but it starts super early for me and it's in August and I start feeling that weighed down heaviness, and then it'll get to be school year and you know, and then it hits October and now I've passed the grief phase, but I'm still in my. You know that depression? Mm-hmm. That's whenever, that's the soonest that it would hit for me. It almost seems like, and don't let me put words in your mouth. Go ahead. Yeah. Talk for you. But it almost seems like maybe it's not seasonal depression, August, it's the grief, like you said, and just kind of, yeah. The nostalgia over that and whatnot. Yeah. And then by, and then it feels like it's so long, such a long season. Mm-hmm. Because that hits, and then by the time you're kind of finally getting out of that. Thinking about that. Mm-hmm. Then it's dark and it's cold. Mm-hmm. Seasonal for sure. I could see that too. That's a long time. Yeah, that is a long time. Oh my gosh. Do you feel like it goes all the way into like the winter months? Like February and stuff? It goes on forever. Oh my gosh. I can't even like pinpoint whenever I actually come out of it, but it's probably whenever, like I start smelling Spring Air again or. You know, whenever it's brighter out, the sun really does affect me. I'm not gonna lie to you. No, it actually does. One time I was in therapy and I remember talking to her about like wanting to prevent seasonal depression and just like wanting to make sure I felt good. And she said that it's actually a recommendation for people to get a sunlight light. Mm-hmm. And like it literally is just a little light that acts as the sun because you need the sunlight and it does so much for you and it does so much for your brain that when it's gone. Like that you don't have it to rely on. Exactly. So she literally said that therapists recommend getting sunlight lights just so you can have a fake sun mm-hmm. In your room. Exactly. We got one for Kathleen one year. Yeah. Yeah. So part of Jared's depression, again, I don't think he'd mind me sharing this mm-hmm. But it runs in his mom's side of the family pretty heavy. And, and it, and honestly. They're both sides of the family. Like there's some genetics with depression on both sides of the family. Oh yeah. So he's very prone to it and his and his mom. We got her a sun lamp one year. She told us that was what she wanted be to help with the sun or with the winter months. Mm-hmm. And I've heard that. And then another thing that people swear by is taking vitamin D Ooh. Because you're not getting it organically from the sun. Yeah. You're like tricking your brain. Yeah. And the, and you're spot on. Chloe love, like the sun does make a huge difference in getting vitamin D, a regular dose of vitamin D every day. Is so important. Mm-hmm. Yeah. It is. Whenever it's just the same color outside from the time you wake up until like 6:00 PM and then it's just pitch black, like how are, how is anyone supposed to feel joyful? Mm-hmm. Yeah. During those months, it's definitely rough. Yeah. I would say it's so interesting that long span of time for you, because for me, and like I said, I don't get. Seasonal depression per se. Mm-hmm. Yeah. But I feel like the gloomiest months of the year are January and February. Me too. Simply because in the winter, yes, it starts getting darker and it starts getting colder and I hate going outside, but I feel like you have at least have Thanksgiving to look forward to. Mm-hmm. And Christmas to look forward to. Yeah. And then New Year's, and then all of a sudden it's the new year and you have nothing to look forward to until. The spring. The spring, yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. And then it's like, okay, well I guess I'll just wait for three months. Mm-hmm. Until. Until the sun comes out and there's something to look forward to again. Yeah, I agree. It's also like during those months you get the snow and things, but it's like just gray outside Uhhuh. Like the snow turns just gray because of all, it's just slush. Really? Yeah, it just slush. It's just slush on the floor. It just grass. It looks bad, so it makes you feel bad and it's just like, yeah. And even if it was pretty snow by then, you probably had enough snow that the novelty is worn off. You just want it to be warm. You're sick of it. Yeah. Yeah. So you're sick of. Trying to get your car out there and all that. Mm-hmm. So, and driving to work or school or wherever in the cold. Yeah. I don't know. I just think, to me, those are, those would be the worst ones. And I feel like that is what I've seen from Jared. But his definitely does start in November, I would say like when, when daylight savings happens. I don't know when that happens, but when that happens and it starts getting, it happens in November. Okay. Yeah. And it starts getting dark. At five or six. Mm-hmm. That's when I noticed that. He's having a rough time of it. Mm-hmm. But it's interesting because last year I felt like he didn't have as bad of a year, but he, it was around this time, August or September, he said, all right, this year I'm avoiding sad. Yay. And tried to put some things in place so that, yeah. What are some things that he did? So he did get a thing of vitamin D, nice pills. I don't think he was super consistent with them, but he definitely did take them. Mm-hmm. When he felt like he needed a pick me up. Yes. Yeah. Vitamin D. Yeah. And then there were some weeks or weekends where he may have normally drank and he decided not to because Excellent. Yeah. Like just kind of like reduce the alcohol a little bit. I love having boundaries with yourself. Yeah. I mean, he's pretty good at that. He's got a lot of self. What's that called? Re control. Oh yeah. Self-control. Yeah. Not resistance, but yeah, he's got a lot of self-control in my opinion. But, but yeah, some things like that. And then I think he, and, and then making sure that he was on his three times a week working out or doing some kind of physical activity especially.'cause can't go outside like you can. Yes. Oh my gosh. Yeah. The activity is definitely it. Was gonna say, I don't remember, but I remember during, whenever swim picks up in the winter, it definitely helps me because I'm exerting my body and you know, yeah, like sand volleyball, it's not exactly all throughout the winter. Winter uhhuh, because it's so freaking cold. And then soccer, it's normally indoor soccer, and sometimes that's just hard to make for me, and it's not enough. Yeah. But swim is an everyday thing that I'm like literally in the water and I'm exerting every muscle of my body. Yeah. Nice. Mm-hmm. Yeah, I mean there's definitely science that shows like moving your body releases like the serotonin and oxytocin and like the things that you need to for like that happy chemical. But I also think it's so good to have something to look forward to. Mm-hmm. And something that is like planned and scheduled so you're not just hibernating by yourself. Yeah. Mm-hmm. And so, yeah, I wonder if that's like a big. Helpful preventative is whenever you do have things planned and set up. I think that that is, when I was saying earlier, like I feel like in the winter months is whenever I really start to kickstart all my habits again. I'm thinking about it and I'm like, well, it's probably only been the last two years. And before that, like I wouldn't say I had any good habits. Like I only had my bad habits. Yeah, so I was gonna say that. I feel like maybe that is a preventative measure that I haven't realized is preventative, but it has helped me get through the winter months because I choose these habits that are just quick habits that keep the house clean and quick. Habits that keep myself clean and like just habits that keep me and my house in shape, which I think helps. Yeah, me personally with like the depression or just the feeling like, oh my God, I can't do this kind of thing. Yeah. Sometimes whenever you're staying organized, that's. It's what helps. Really. Yeah. I think, yeah. I think it helps trick the brain into being like, okay, this is just a normal routine. Mm-hmm. This is just everyday life. Mm-hmm. Go to next. Mm-hmm. Yeah. And you know what I've found? Sometimes whenever I stay organized in my outside life, it's easier to organize the thoughts in my head. Yeah.'cause everything in my head is so mumbo jumbo and it's just, it's all jumbled up and it's crazy. Chaos, uhhuh, absolute chaos. So sometimes that reflects on my out world. Yeah. In my in world, looks exactly like my out world. So whenever my out world is really organized and it's clean, I can. Focus on what's in my head. Oh, absolutely. I, we all know I love my bedroom and I love my bed. I'm a bed girl. Yes. Um, so yeah, if I'm laying in bed and there's laundry around me and I can see that the bathroom's dirty and I can tell that my bed stand is a mess, like. I'm gonna feel way worse. And also I am gonna scroll longer. Mm-hmm. And I am gonna find myself way less likely to get up and make dinner or something like that. But when it's clean, I actually do notice that. I'm like, ah, I feel nice in here. And then I'm more likely to get up and do the next thing. Exactly. Yeah. Definitely. But the nutritionist that I love, Alana. Yeah, she always, it's, I can't remember exactly what she says, but she says something like. Messy drawers, messy mind, or like something like that. Yeah. Where when we have cabinets and drawers and closets and whatnot that are just full and chaotic and whatever, the, as chaotic as they are in behind closed doors is how chaotic our mind feels. Yeah. A lot of the time. It's definitely correlated. Yeah. So I, so I've. I've thought a lot about that. Right before you got over, I was telling Chloe I got this new pantry organizer thing, Uhhuh, and it is not gonna work. But I have been trying to organize, I need to look at your pantry when we, when I go over later because I, no, it's not organized. Oh, remember. I don't do the kitchen. That's right. But for some reason I thought the pantry you did, but at the old house when it was really small and I needed it. Okay. Yeah. I was just gonna say, I've been trying to figure out a good, or like an, a good organizational system for our pantry for a while and, and I'm just struggling. It's, yeah, because it's just hard. It's really deep, like, oh yeah. So I'm trying to figure out, but anyway, hold on. That doesn't matter. We're gonna cut this out. But anyway, so, okay. So organizing physical movement, vitamin D slash sunlight, having so supplement something going forward to, yeah. Mm-hmm. What, what other kinds of things have you started thinking about? Okay, I'm gonna implement this to help avoid sad Yeah. Di devolving into the spiral. Uh, for me, sometimes it's. Just hanging out with friends. But I have to be really mindful about whenever I'm hanging out with friends, it's not to push off other things in my life. Mm-hmm. It's to help my mood and to just get better in my mind. Yeah. So like for example, tomorrow, Monday I am, yeah. Monday, uh, I'm gonna go get breakfast and watch a movie with Chloe Kenyon and Miley and you know, those are just people that I wanna hang out with. Yeah. And it's to prevent. Like a Monday mood. Mm-hmm. That I just don't wanna be in, you know? Yeah. So your school district has gone to four day school weeks. Yes. And you have Mondays off. Do you feel like that's correlated at all? Do you feel like Mondays are harder for you because you don't have something going on and so it's. It's good to have like a plan. Yes. Okay. Yes. I love planning stuff on Mondays, especially now that mom has a job. Mm-hmm. It has actually been the worst experience of my life. Just being at home alone. Being alone. I hate being, being alone is the worst thing ever. Mm-hmm. And yeah, I have PVA and Kingsley, but sometimes they. I can talk to them Person. You mean like an actual person? They're not gonna talk back to me. Exactly. Which is so funny because I love being alone. I, I don't, I know. Yeah. I sometimes I don't understand people who love just having that, like being alone because sometimes, yeah, I understand the wanting to. Decompress. Mm-hmm. And just have like your own space. But especially most recently, I have been going in mom and dad's room and just sitting with mom and we're not even talking. She's listening to her own podcast and I'm sitting there reading a book. Mm-hmm. Or scrolling on my phone. But it's just because I don't wanna sit in my room and do it. Yeah. Or I don't wanna go out into the empty living room and do it. Are you a quality time person? Yes. Okay. I'm a I'm words of affirmation and then quality time. Okay, cool. Quality time is like my last one. I'm not, I'm not a big quality time person, but I am. I just don't know what to do with myself if I have more than like four hours alone. Yeah. But I, I do love a good afternoon by myself or something like that, but honestly it is still comforting to know that Jared's like downstairs, even if, even if I don't see him for four hours or something. Yeah. Honestly, I think I'm just afraid of Cat. I don't even, I don't even know if it has to do with needing to be around someone. But I would also say you guys are both extroverts, so you get Yeah. Mm-hmm. Energy and stuff from hanging out with people. I do, do not, yeah, definitely. Yeah. Um, so I definitely would say that having something to do on a Monday, especially whenever I like, don't have school or like I don't work on a Monday mm-hmm. Um, planning something with friends, or even just being like, Hey, Miley, you wanna come do my clothes with me? Mm-hmm. Because she, she will literally just sit in my room and talk to me while I put away my clothes. Yeah. You call her like your errand friend? Unless she's my errand friend and I, I just run errands with her and she's like, Hey, I'm gonna Walmart at like. Eight o'clock at night, you wanna come, do you wanna come with me? And I'm like, uh, cha. So, um, but it's, it's a way for me to keep out the, like, just negative thoughts and yeah, just a way to keep my body moving, keep my mind focused on something that's not my mind, I guess. Yeah. That's the easiest way. I have kind of a tough question then to follow up, because for me, when I'm in a slump, or let's call it seasonal depression mm-hmm. I. Those kinds of things are harder for me to initiate. Hmm. So, because if I'm already kind of down in the dumps or whatever, the last thing I wanna do is make a plan and pick where we're going or you know, that sort of thing. So how do you make sure that you get, like, that you take care of that before it gets to that point, I guess, if that makes sense. Um, I think it may be a little different because. Especially with Miley or like, sometimes it's Julian as well. Uh, I don't have to have a plan mm-hmm. Because they'll think of something to do. Or Miley is just such, Hey, you wanna go do something? Sure. And I'll get in her car and she'll be like, what are we doing? And I'll be like, I don't know. You pick. And she'll be like, okay, let's go to Walmart and we'll just walk around Walmart for a little bit. And she's just such a person who will pick anything to do. Mm-hmm. Just as long as she's doing it. Mm-hmm. And it's really nice on those days where, where I'm like, okay, I don't wanna make a plan, I don't wanna think about it. I don't wanna think of like just having to go somewhere and do this and making it a to-do list. Yeah. But instead it's just, I'm driving in a car with a friend who is literally gonna make all the decisions for me. Yeah. And sometimes she's like, okay, what do you wanna eat? I'm like. I don't know, I'm feeling chicken and she'll go, okay, let's go to McDonald's and I'll go, cool. Mm-hmm. Nice. You know, I feel like I, I guess,'cause I'm thinking about people listening to this and I'm thinking about, okay, what is the takeaway here? And I feel like maybe listening to you talk about that is knowing yourself and knowing the people that are. Good to have around when you're in a slump. For sure. And the ones who maybe, well, not necessarily the ones who aren't, but the ones who are, and again, I'm thinking about Jared and we have some friends where it, it feels like we need to do something. Mm-hmm. Fun or memorable or something like that. And then we've got friends that. Are more like, it doesn't matter what we do, we could just go over to their house and Yeah, check for a little bit and yeah, snack on whatever they have in their cupboards or whatever. Like we don't have to do anything specific or No. It's like host or entertain. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. And so I guess maybe going into this season. Pinpointing those people in your brain earlier on. Mm-hmm. Might be helpful because yes, if you have an errand friend or you have a easy couple friend or something like that, that can just kind of be a go-to for you whenever. Whenever you're sitting at home and you know that you are kind of, don't really need to be sitting at home and wallowing or whatever it is that you're doing or scrolling. And you ha like, and you want to pick someone that you're picking somebody that makes sense for making you feel better, rather. Yeah. It's like rather than escalating the problem. Mm-hmm. You know, and you know something that like, not really anybody knows that I have, but I do have this little note page on my phone that has just like different ideas of what I would want to do. So sometimes. It's just like scrolling through that and it's like, okay, which one do I feel like, so that the plan is already pretty much made in my mind. And so sometimes it's just easier to have the plan already and I'll ask someone and I'll be like, sure. Does nine o'clock work? And I'm like, yep. I kind of like that as a preventative idea too. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yes. Because it almost reminds me of your nesting nights where you planned them out in advance. And I just think that there's so something so good to be said for when you're in a good head space, taking care of the future you that's in a bad head space. Mm-hmm. And part of. The present. You being a good, in a good head space and thinking about yourself in the future is, Hey, I'm gonna make this list of when I'm down. These are some things that I could do, so that then whenever I'm experiencing decision fatigue, like we talked about last week, or I'm just experiencing being down, or I'm experiencing seasonal depression, I can go back to this list and just pick and just. Or do just the first thing on the list or something like that. Mm-hmm. Or, I even know, Pinterest I feel like, has graphics of, you know, fall things to do or winter things to stuff like that. Lot of Pinterest. Yeah. That you can just save and have available for yourself in the future when you don't feel like you have the bandwidth to take care of that. Yeah, exactly. It kind of reminds me of, obviously I wouldn't know'cause I don't drink, but. I've read about it and I've seen it like on Instagram or whatever. Mm-hmm. But sober, you taking care of drunk you, sober you. So if you like, before you go out and drink or whatever you wanna do. Yeah. You set bed. Yeah. You make the bed, you set aspirin and water and like whatever food you wanna, yeah. Eat in the morning and then you go out and drink and then you come back. You wake up and you have like whatever type of hangover. I have no idea. But yeah. Um, no, I, I think that that's like a funny way you're taking care of yourself. Yeah. Like we're so okay with taking care of drunk us. We're like, oh man, sober me is so good to drunk me. But it's like, okay, then happy. You should be good to depressed you. Exactly. I like the cutesy analogy. That's a good example. Yeah. Yeah. It reminds me of our. Episode list, like we just have this big list of episode ideas. Yes. That whenever one of us think of an episode topic, we're like, oh, we'll just put it in there just in case. In a couple months, if neither of us have like an idea of flowing, we can just go back to that. So I really like the idea of when you see things that you're like, oh, I'd like to do that, or a place that you'd like to go, or a friend you wanna visit, or whatever. Like putting it in a little notes app. I think that's actually a really good idea. Mm-hmm. Especially because whenever you can fall into like that kind of seasonal depression mood or that just really down in the dumps mood, it can be really hard to remember. What brings you joy. Mm-hmm. Or it can be really hard to remember what it feels like to be joyful. And so having those moments of being like, oh yeah, I really wanted to try this. Mm-hmm. I think that's a really good idea. Yeah. And especially surrounding yourself, like making the conscious decision to surround yourself with people who you know will be okay. Maybe like repeating an activity once or twice. Yeah. Uh, because. Again, I'm talking about Miley a lot, but she is like the person that I go to whenever I need to do something and I don't about, yeah, I mean it's like me talking about, I talk about Mason constantly on, but like who you spend the most time with. Exactly. Uh, but she will a hundred percent go out and just walk around Walmart with me. We don't get anything. We don't do anything. We just walk around Walmart and we like look at things and Yeah. It's she'll hundred percent do that like three times a week if she, if she was asked. Yeah. I used to do that a lot with Sophie. Mm-hmm. And, uh, high school, we, except we would go to the mall a lot. Well, I definitely feel like we really covered. Sad. Mm-hmm. And like how can start feeling and even though we talked about school, like you can relate that back to work or taking your kids places. Like it's definitely relatable and I will be interested to know this summer or no this winter if I think that I feel the seasonal depression mood or if it's more of just like a down in the dumps. So I'll definitely be on that for you. It's gonna be a little bit different because you're gonna have a huge hormonal change. Yes. This one's gonna be really different. Yeah. It could be really awesome where you're, I mean, you're gonna be doing all of baby girls first. Yeah. You know, that's really exciting. But also your hormones are gonna change so much. You have no idea how your brain is gonna feel. God, I know, and I don't know when you're cleared to take your A DHD ME medicine again, but that's another thing, you know, so it's really hard to know. But I, I'm curious as well, and I think that for me, sometimes, just sometimes just being aware of something before it starts happening. We talk about this all the time on the podcast, just being aware and acknowledging it before it starts happening. Mm-hmm. Helps you lessen the effects of it. Yes. And I even right now we're doing our September small wins challenge or no small wins, September challenge. And I think even that is helping me. Feel more like a winner, I guess. Mm-hmm. Yeah. In, in my everyday, in my everyday life than I have in a while. And so, so just being mindful, I don't know. Yeah, being mindful and putting something, putting intention toward this, I think would definitely help you. Take care of your depressed self, sober self taking care or no? Uh, happy self. Taking care of your sad self. Yes. Yes. Yes. Happy self. Taking care of your sad self. I, yeah, I think that it, I, I think that it's helpful just to even acknowledge it. I agree. That's like the first step. Yeah. And to know that it could be coming and kind of get your, get your things in your, get your things in place. Yeah. And obviously none of us are therapists or, or qualified, I mean, or certified, I mean, or have any kind of credentials to, but these are just some things that we're doing to help with it and that we've seen help. Mm-hmm. From experience. Yes, exactly. Yeah. So, Chloe, love any final thoughts for the listeners? Um, honestly, I would just say that again. Reinstating the fact that being knowledgeable on it and being so very mindful of like, just thinking back to past seasons and past winters and just, um, differentiating between that happy between the down and just like the heavy, um, and making sure that you're mindful of that. Yeah. Taking the steps before you feel like that. Mm-hmm. I'm happy most of the time, like in the previous months. Mm-hmm. And so I'll literally be making steps like, okay, I'm not gonna be like this for the rest of the year. Yeah. So I should, you know, get my room a little bit more organized. Mm-hmm. So I can start off my depressed months with mm-hmm. A little more of a organized space. You know, I really think it's so good that you're already focusing on that because you are younger. Yeah. And I do think that that can be something that even adults now like struggle with. Preventing things. Mm-hmm. And they struggled just of not falling into the same trap or the same bad habits. Yeah. So I think it's really great that you are like, being really mindful of it and trying to your best to prevent it. And yeah. Just, yeah. I, I just think that's really great, especially'cause you are so young and there's people who let that go for years. Mm-hmm. And there's people who let it go forever before they mm-hmm. And like never do anything. Mm-hmm. So, yeah, I sometimes I just don't even know. So yeah, taking note of the fact that maybe you're happier during the summer than you are the winter. Mm-hmm. Obviously that's not the exact sign of having seasonal depression. Yeah. But taking note of, just like that first fact is normally you can lead up to, oh, maybe I do have seasonal depression. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. I really like that. Well, I think that is everything. Hopefully you guys are participating in our small and September challenge. We're getting toward the end of the month. Oh my God. Yeah. I wonder if by the time this episode comes out. No, I was gonna say baby girl might be weird. Oh my God. Could be. I told you I was feeling weird today. I think by the time that this episodes come, comes out, you'll be almost 38 weeks. No, I'm 38 weeks on Tuesday. Oh. Oh, okay. I thought it was 37 this week. So by the time this episode comes out, you'll be one day less than 39 weeks. Ah, that's crazy. Oh my God. So baby girl might be here. She could be. Or she could continue hibernating. No, she's gonna come out hairy and big. Just kidding. I love it. I love it. Well, thank you guys for listening. As always. We appreciate your support and send this to whoever needs it. I'm thinking I'm probably gonna send it to Mason, just be like, Hey, like here's some preventatives you can do.'cause I noticed that. Winter gets kind of hard for you, so I'm probably gonna share it with him. So share it with whoever you think would really benefit from it, and we will see you guys next week. Cheers. Cheers.