Dance Away the Winter Doldrums with a Mood-Boosting Playlist

The weather outside is frightful, but inside it's so delightful...if you have your own dance party.

I’m trying something a little different here this week. Because the weather is getting colder, and the days are getting shorter.

And for me, the best way to shake off the winter doldrums is to get up and move.

Four ideal songs for a dance party: Beyoncé’s “Countdown,” Janet Jackson’s “Love Will Never Do (Without You),” Madonna’s “Hung Up” and Hole’s “Celebrity Skin.”

What I’m working on at the moment has me basically chained to my laptop from early morning to late at night. It gets dark so early now, which can drain my mood and energy. Beyond that, there is a lot of darkness in the world. Despair and heartbreak are a constant.

Which is why a few days ago, I added the following to my daily to-do list: get up and run/dance/move.

I’m not a Spotify person¹, but instead use the Musi² app, which allows you to create YouTube playlists on your phone that you can stream to your television via Airplay.

One of these playlists is called “TV Workout,” which has my favorite songs and music videos that I like to stream while, well, working out. The playlist is below and can also be viewed here.

This is the music I used to get myself off the couch and start moving. Once I traded my laptop for my sneakers, the endorphins were immediate and welcome. It truly was free happiness, and I decided to make this a regular habit.

You likely have your own version of a mood-boosting playlist. If this time of year gets you down for any reason or many, try scheduling 20 to 30 minutes for blasting the music you love and just dance. (I do a weird combo of jogging and dancing no one should ever witness.)

Another reason I included the TV Workout playlist in this week’s newsletter is that I would *love* recommendations on what else I should add—it’s been a long time since I’ve updated it. Email me or let me know in the comments!³

Pop culture recs:

**I’m an R.E.M. fan, as I have noted here, but even if I wasn’t, “Michael Stipe is Writing His Next Act. Slowly.”, would be one of the most remarkable profiles I’ve ever read. Not just because of the subject of the piece, but how the journalist Jon Mooallem crafted it. A truly compelling look at creativity and aging and self-doubt—even after selling 90 million (!) albums, he admits to feeling imposter syndrome. Which is what made this profile all the more moving.

**If you’re a Bravo fan, then you know this has been a memorable year in the Real Housewives/Scandoval universe. The quiz “How Well Do You Know the Year’s Best Bravo Quotes?” is a fun way to revisit all the best moments. (I was unable to “name ‘em” all, and only got 14 out of 20.)

**Knives Out, one of the most fun and perfect movies from recent years, is now finally available to stream for free on Pluto TV. While there are ads, it doesn’t dampen how enjoyable it is to watch Benoit Blanc tackle this delightfully clever mystery.

This week’s fun fact:

This week’s fact is dedicated to my wonderful niece and her love of unicorns. :)

The unicorn is the national animal of Scotland, and National Unicorn Day is celebrated there every April 9th.

This site explains the interesting history behind this, but I kind of like not knowing. It’s an unusual choice, and I love it.

One last thing:

kirthanaramisetti

A post shared by @kirthanaramisetti

Just a reminder I’ll be leading an online seminar as part of The Shit No One Tells You About Writing’s Deep Dive Workshop Series! My one-hour session is about “Writing an Ensemble Cast.” For more information on the series and to sign up, go here.

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Thanks for reading! I hope that you have a wonderful week.

1. I stopped using Spotify when Neil Young and Joni Mitchell did, and just never got back into the habit.

2. I promise this post is not sponsored by Muzi! I just happen to use it a lot.

3. I’ll take all recs but am especially seeking recs for upbeat songs with a fun music video.