We get it, November can be a boring month. Thanksgiving seems like it was ages ago, and any holiday time you may be taking feels like forever away. American politics are filling our social media news feeds and most days getting out of bed (oh hey, darkness) is a struggle–especially after last week. To perk up this dreary time of year, here are 29 ways to beat the November blahs.
1. Rework your music library. Try a new genre to refresh your morning commute.
2. Focus your energy on something positive, whether it’s helping someone else out or remembering all the good things going on in your life, however small.
3. Take a class. Whether it’s a fitness class, an art class or expanding your skill set for work, staying motivated is key this month.
4. Check out some museums or art galleries. Many local galleries have a discounted (or free) night, so you don’t have to break the bank to explore a little culture.
5. Catch up with your friends. We’re not talking about your besties who you make a point of seeing often, but friends that you always mean to text but never get around to. No judgement”life gets busy”so take some down time while you have it and send those texts and make those calls.
6. Tackle your closet. This is a good time to sift through your wardrobe to see what you actually wore this past summer and which items can be donated.
7. Get into a good book. If you’re spending more time at home than usual, find yourself a good book to get lost in. Check out Goodreads for some inspiration and then hit up your local library.
8. Find your community. Have you looked at the bulletin board in the coffee shop lately? There are always tons of advertisements for speakers, performances and organizations that you can take part in”and usually they’re either free or very inexpensive.
9. Bake! Challenge yourself to make your snacks for the week instead of splurging on that overpriced stale muffin purchase with your coffee.
10. Hit the gym. Spike your serotonin levels with a sweaty workout. You may need to do this a little more often if you’re fully embracing #9 like me.
11. Reflect on your year. The year isn’t over yet, but before you know it, the holiday season will be upon us and December will fly by. Take time now to think about how you felt about work, relationships and your #goals and see what you want to do differently next year.
12. Go outside. It feels gross and dreary, but take advantage of the milder temperatures, before it hurts to breathe the air. Actually.
13. Try some new restaurants. Instead of hitting the same haunts every week, expand your horizons a bit and try a new place.
14. If you’ve been thinking of adopting a pet¦ now may be a good time. You’re home more often to get some quality bonding time in, and you’ll definitely feel the love from a new furbaby.
15. Go on a road trip. Explore a new city, and have fun making plans, or flying by the seat of your pants.
16. Paint your pad. Freshen up your space with a new look and feel. Don’t want to paint? Treat yourself to some seasonal scented candles instead.
17. Change up your hair. Whether it’s a new cut, colour or both, you can be a little adventurous.
18. Get a little green. Bring some potted plants into your home or into work: not only will they look nice, but they’ll help purify the air, too.
19. Plan an epic girls night. Dance party, sleepover, mani-pedis”all of it.
20. Go on a ghost walk. Many cities have guided history tours, and this is the perfect, eerie time of year. Halloween may be over, but this is the perfect way to spend a spooky evening.
21. Get into your side hustle. I don’t know many people who don’t have a side hustle”life’s expensive, amirite? Take advantage of a quieter month to really hit your stride at whatever it is that’s bringing in that extra cash.
22. Do an at-home spa day, either solo or with your girls.
23. Go on a winery tour. Need we say more?
24. Cook something new. If you’re making quesadillas four nights a week, try expanding your horizons and challenging yourself to cook with some new ingredients.
25. Break out your slow cooker. See #24, and make a big batch of something delicious you can eat throughout the week.
26. Have a Gilmore Girls marathon, in anticipation of the new episodes coming to Netflix at the end of the month (yay!).
27. Finish that knitting project you started two million years ago. This may be the winter you can wear that scarf!
28. Try some of the makeup and hair looks you’ve pinned on Pinterest. You’ll be ready for the holiday parties with a new go-to look.
29. Take some time for self care, because you’ve had a hella busy year so far and sometimes you just need to do you, and that’s ok.
