Things to do outside!

Feeling depressed can make it hard to do much of anything. The cycle of depression is particularly difficult to manage in that doing certain things can help you to feel better, but often those very things are the hardest to do! Being outside can have a tremendous effect on your well-being. Now that the winter is over, even just doing things such as yard work can have multiple benefits. Vitamin D from the sun in combination with exercise and a feeling of accomplishment from getting things done is a powerful anti-depressant. Vigorous exercise can have even more of a profound effect. Here are some ideas for summer fun to keep the blues away:

-Try tackling that yard project that you have been putting off. 
-Sit on your deck for at least 20 minutes in the sun and listen to music or read. 
-Have friends over for a cookout
-Take the dog for a walk
-Mow the lawn
-Plant a vegetable garden
-Outdoor yoga
-Take the kids to the playground
-Go for a hike with a friend
-Walk on the beach

So get out there and enjoy feeling better!