How To Survive Winter
Do you love or hate winter?
When I was leaving California after almost ten years and moving to the east coast, I was often asked how I was going to survive the long, cold winter. Although I consider myself toughened up from my years living in Indiana and Boston, I was still admittedly slightly worried about how the winter was going to go.
While acknowledging that the past two New York winters barely qualify, I have actually learned to love the season. I would definitely still take hot, summer days but it has been nice to embrace the winter and work with the seasons instead of fighting it and constantly wishing for warmer days.
No matter whether you live on the east coast, west coast, or somewhere in between, keep reading and find out how you can learn to love (or at least tolerate) the colder, darker days of winter.
Get outside. I know, I know. When it is cold and your apartment is warm, it is usually the last thing you want to do. But getting some fresh air and sunlight is really helpful for your mood and general wellbeing. And while winter is a great time to stay inside a little more, it is also important to balance that with enough social and outdoor time. You won’t regret getting bundled up and taking a quick walk outside, I promise.
Dress appropriately. I remember when I was getting ready to leave California and go to college in the Midwest, a family friend said that the winters really weren’t that bad, I just needed a good coat. And while I could argue that a little when it was 0 degrees with a -10 windchill, for the most part, they were right. Having the appropriate clothes makes a huge difference between freezing and wet and miserable and comfortably tolerating the cold.
Find one thing. Figure out one thing you enjoy about winter and actually do it. Whether it is a winter sport like skiing and ice skating or snowy winter days or an opportunity to cook those filling comfort foods, find something that you really like about the winter season.
Cozy up. I think we can all agree that there is something wonderful about putting on some comfy clothes, grabbing a warm cup of coffee, and settling in under a cozy blanket on a cold day. The winter offers the perfect opportunity to do all of this. When summer comes around, naturally we all want to be out in the sun and take advantage of the hot, long days, so cozy up while you still can.
Slow down. Use this season as your excuse to do less. We naturally crave a little more sleep and downtime during the winter and it is important to lean into that and not fight against it. With the sun setting earlier, it is much easier to get into bed earlier and start to wind down when it’s dark outside.
Embrace it. Honestly I think this is the biggest thing. Accept that it is winter for the next few months and nothing will change that. The sun will set earlier, it will be colder, it will be rainier / snowier. It is the magic of the seasons and we are meant to work with that seasonality. And even if you absolutely despise winter and will never find anything you enjoy, at the very least, it will make you appreciate summer a little more.
