How to Enjoy Winter Even If You Hate It
I highly doubt there is anyone who hates winter as much as I do. I mean seriously; I start dreading winter in late August as I watch summer speedily coming to an end. And though I truly do enjoy the fall, it’s the anticipation of what’s to come afterwards that has me feeling anxious on those last, warm, balmy nights.
Every year, my anxiety heightens as each day creeps closer to winter. As someone who suffers from Seasonal Affective Disorder, (S.A.D.), my thoughts become clouded with the dread of enduring those cold, dark gloomy days. But the one thing that has made me “winter-stronger”, was living through the pandemic we are all so thankful to be on the other side of.
If you feel no one hates winter as much as you do, I think we might soon become best friends! After all, like-minded people often find comfort knowing they are not alone. The thing is, winter is just too long to go through hating and resisting what you can not change — we live in Ontario! So, with that said, this year, I have vowed that “I will not hate winter!” And since we’re practically best friends already, I hope you’ll let me persuade you into getting through the winter months with a little side of “it’s actually not too bad” and a new appreciation for what our winter season can offer us.
Here are 5 things you can do to start the winter off right, 3 mental health hacks to help you get your winter mindset and finally a strategy to create your ultimate “How to not hate Winter Action Plan”.
Stay Warm
First thing first. If you are going to get through winter with any hope at all, you must invest in some warm winter clothing. One of the reasons I hate winter so much is because it’s freezing out there! There’s nothing worse than cold, wet feet or fingers that feel all dry and cracked while you’re trying to pump gas into your car. Sure, you might wonder what the point is of this investment if you plan to hibernate indoors. But I implore you to make the investment— so that you can spend more time outdoors! (More on that later.)
Get the warm ski jacket or parka, whichever one suits your needs. And don’t forget warm and waterproof winter boots. Invest in snow pants, thermal underwear (long johns), hats, scarves, and gloves. And don’t forget sunglasses for those bright sunny days.
Get Outside
Now that you’re prepared to stay warm, it’s time for you to get outside. Fresh air and sunshine have been proven to help boost your mood, strengthen the immune system, and boost your vitamin D intake. Aim to get outside for at least 30-60 minutes a day, preferably during daylight hours, but if that’s not possible, go outdoors when you can. Walk, hike, skate, snowshoe, run, ski, toboggan, or play. Do whatever activity you love the most and do it often!
Tip: if getting outside is a struggle for you, have a destination in mind. Make it your daily ritual to walk to your local coffee shop, warm up with a hot beverage and walk back home
Stay Connected with Family and Friends
Though cocooning indoors may come more naturally for you during this season, make it a point to stay connected to family and friends. Togetherness helps break the bond of isolation that’s so often felt during winter months. Plan dates and get-togethers often. Not only can the company of others boost our mood, planning social activities helps us get through winter by having things to look forward to.
Tip: Don’t let distance be an excuse and use technology to your advantage. FaceTime or Zoom with your favourite loved one, and choose fun activities that’ll put a smile on your face and help you forget all about the winter blues.’
Enjoy Winter Eats and Drinks
Those colder temperatures have me craving some of my favourite home-cooked meals. And I don’t just want to eat them, I actually don’t mind preparing them as well. Whether it’s making one of my mom’s traditional favourites like hearty chicken soup, or trying out a new lentil curry recipe, winter makes it easy to indulge in a little “comfort” food. Cook with in-season produce and let the culinary adventures begin! And don’t forget to stock up on a variety of herbal teas, fine coffee, and or non-dairy alternative drinks like turmeric or matcha lattes. Try something new and let the warmth penetrate to your soul.
Tip: choose a few recipes and/or restaurants you’d like to try this winter.
Level Up Your Skills
Sometimes the best way to get through the winter months is to do something that challenges your comfort zone—like developing a new set of skills. For example, last year, I applied for a part-time internship at a non-profit organization. While the internship did not pay me for my volunteered time, it gave me the opportunity to share my gifts, learn new skills, all while receiving amazing personal development coaching in return. That internship was like a lifeline during a time when I needed something to help me get through the winter. And it doesn’t have to be an internship either. You can participate in an in-person or online course, learn to play the guitar or challenge yourself to become better at public speaking. Whatever you decide to do, making the commitment to level up your skills can be exactly what you need to take your mind off of the season and transport you to a brighter and more skilled season ahead.
While there may be a ton of winter sports you could try, or skills to develop, sometimes it’s not just the things available to do that are enough to help us “like” winter. After all, you could learn to ski, but maybe you just don’t want to. You could eat heartier meals, but you prefer the summer salads instead. And sure, you could take a course, but you just aren’t motivated to choose which one. Sometimes, it’s not the variety of options presented to us that will help us cope with winter, it’s our mindset!
If you struggle with a negative-winter mindset, here are 3 things you can do to go from negative feels to positive zeal in no time.
Meditate, Pray, or Journal
Quiet time spent in meditation or prayer has been proven to help us cope with stress. And if you don’t like winter, that in itself can become quite stressful. Sometimes one of our best self-help practices can be to meditate or spend time in prayer. And if you find yourself getting too sidetracked while being in that quiet space, journaling can be just the outlet you need to cope with during the dead of winter. I’ve often found that practicing the art of gratitude helps me feel more positive about my current situation. Make a list of things you are grateful for and express your gratitude through prayer, meditation or hand-written reminders.
Create a Positive Winter List
Let’s face it, sometimes you do need to fake it to make it. Start with writing down all the positive things about winter. I know, I know. What if you can’t find anything positive about winter? Well, think of some things that you like that come with the time spent during this season. Let me help you get started with some things I like. The cooler months are when I love to wear my sweats the most. Comfy track pants and an over-sized sweatshirt are my go-to at home attire—especially while I’m writing! I love scented candles with the cozy light and warmth they bring. Cuddling up on a couch with a warm blanket, fuzzy socks and tea is the perfect way to spend a wintry afternoon. Now, create your list and once you’ve finished it, keep it somewhere readily accessible and continue adding to it every time you find yourself enjoying a little bit of positivity.
Hang Out with “Winter People”
Years ago, when I lived in Germany, a bunch of friends from work were going to an indoor ski hill and asked me to come along. After trying to decline because I didn’t ski, they encouraged me to come along anyway. They said it would be fun, and I didn’t need to ski to enjoy the atmosphere. So, off I went and you know what? They were right! It was a lot of fun to be in the company of “winter people”. I got to witness first hand an enjoyable winter pastime and the best part was the Après Ski we enjoyed together afterwards. I have never forgotten that experience and have often thought of how much fun it would be to learn to ski. The thing is, sometimes just being around “winter people” can help change our perspective and help us feel better about the season. After all, positivity is contagious, and so is having a good time!
Now that you’ve learned how to get your mental health on board with winter, it’s time to create a plan so that all of these good intentions don’t get sidelined with doom and gloom emotions that can hijack even your best intentions to “not hate winter”.
Create the Ultimate “How to Not Hate Winter” Action Plan
Make a list of the worst winter months for you. For me, it starts in November and lasts to the end of March. Now that you know your start and end date, make a list of all of the things you’d like to do this winter to keep your physical and mental health in check. Note that your plan doesn’t just need to be about filling your calendar with to-do activities. It could also be about making goals to spend more time doing less. Think about anything from planning social gatherings to retreating to your bathtub for a well-needed time out. From treating yourself to a few winter luxuries like comfy new PJ’s to planning your next summer holiday as something to look forward to on blizzardly stay-at-home days. As you create this list, plan how much time you’ll need for each activity and plan the days you want to commit to said activity. Don’t overload your plan with a huge long list of ideas that just re-reading will start overwhelming you. Break down your action plan into things that will promote your mental health, physical health, social/emotional health, and spiritual health.
Here’s how your action plan might look:
November: Get ready for Winter: Invest in proper winter attire and gather a collection of recipes to try. Stock up on herbal teas, candles, at home spa items (for self care days), vitamin D and probiotics. Plan to walk outdoors daily at lunchtime for 30 minutes a day and commit to a social gathering 1-3x per month.
December: Research online or in-person courses for personal development or a hobby and register for one ASAP. Line-dancing could be a great way to get you out of the house and help you stay social or you could level up your skills by learning a new language or taking a photography course. Don’t forget to enjoy the Christmas season and be a blessing to someone in need.
January: Create a gratitude journal or volunteer. January is a great month for a fresh start, but sub-zero temps can make you feel like winter is never going to end. Stay on top of your mental health by cultivating an attitude of gratitude. Volunteering at an event, organization or even at a place of worship can help you take the focus off of yourself and onto caring for the needs of others.
February: Make your physical health a priority. Schedule dental appointments, physicals, massage appointments or even get those aches and pains looked after by physiotherapists or chiropractors. Taking care of your physical needs will not only help you feel better now, it’ll benefit you for the new season to come.
March: Re-evaluate your plan to see if there are any areas in your physical, mental, emotional or spiritual health which are needing special attention. What daily rituals have helped you the most and which ones do you need to let go of? And last but not least, if there’s anything else you still want to try this winter, now’s your chance to do it! Visit that outdoor thermal spa, go ice-fishing, join that book club or adopt that puppy you always wanted.
The point to this plan is, when we start to see all the possibilities winter offers, we can feel better about how we are going to cope with our least favourite season. Opportunity breeds more excitement and stimulates more positivity than how a negative outlook will make us feel. I am convinced that if I create a plan, have a positive mindset and follow through with my actions, I will succeed in not hating winter. How about you? Are you with me?
See Bianca’s original feature article in The Local Biz Magazine (Winter 2022 Edition, page 6-9).
