"Snow brings a special quality with it — the power to stop life as you know it dead in its tracks."
Nancy Hatch Woodward
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It's that time of year when many of us start thinking about hibernating for the next four or five months.
And that is especially true for me. I am not a fan of cold, dreary, snowy weather. I have never been a fan of cold and snow, and never will be.
Sadly hibernating is not the answer. It will not make the cold, snowy months go any faster. I know for a fact that staring out the window, complaining about the snow and ice, changes nothing. It remains cold and snowy despite my best efforts.
The reality is we have no choice but to soldier on and make the best of our long, long winter. Any good soldier knows you need a plan of attack.
And hibernating is not in the plan of attack. The battle against the winter blues requires a different approach.
We need activities that will keep us busy and going in a direction away from cursing the cold and snow. We need something fun that will take our minds away from our winter doldrums.
Yes, believe it or not, fun can be had during the winter, even if you hate being outside in the snow.
The plan should be to develop fun, exciting, healthy, and even productive things you can do during the winter months.
So here are some suggestions that I am going to implement this winter.
Guess what exercising is always good for you. But maybe even better in the winter when you need to get your mood up. I know it's weird, but I know for a fact that exercise gives you not only a boost of energy, but it gives your mood a boost. And there's a lot of ways to get exercise without ever stepping outside into the snow.
Some options for indoor exercise-
Yoga- Lots of healthy benefits to trying some yoga. You will become more flexible, tone your muscles, and improve your cardio health.
Leslie Sansone Walking videos-I am a huge fan of these walking videos. No excuse not to get in some exercise when these simple walking videos are available on YouTube. And you do get a good work out.
Socializing is very important during the long winter months. Time goes faster when you're having fun. So plan some fun activities with family and friends.
Plan a pizza night. Let everyone make their own pizzas. Have an assortment of toppings to choose from and maybe include some new options you haven't tried before.
Weekly movie night. Take turns choosing the weekly movie. Pop the popcorn. Grab some M &M's and sit back and enjoy.
Board games are excellent for entertaining the whole family. A lot of the old games are still family favorites. Get out the Monopoly game, Trivial Pursuit, Clue, Twister, Scrabble, and good old Checkers.
Games for the younger kids could include Candy Land, Count Your Chickens, and Don't Make Me Laugh.
Games are an excellent way to spend some time with the family.
Set up a regular family potluck. Once every couple of weeks or maybe once a month. Whatever works for everyone. Making it a recurring event gives everyone something to look forward to. And it's a great time to try out some new recipes.
Winter is the perfect time to enjoy quiet time alone. Cozy up with a good book-kindle unlimited or a favorite movie. A nice warm beverage to sip and watch the snowfall from inside your toasty home. I find it's always enjoyable to watch it snow when you don't have to go out into it. I even find the trees all covered in snow quite beautiful. Yes, even I have to admit that there is beauty in a fresh new snowfall.
And what about doing some home projects during the winter months. Maybe some Decluttering and organizing. Perhaps freshen up the look of a room, refinish a piece of furniture. Take a good look around your home and make a list of the things you could get accomplished before spring arrives.
And you know even adults like to color these days. The whole family can color together. No fighting over coloring books; adults can get their own.
And if you are the crafty type, you can do some crocheting, knitting, or sewing. I am all thumbs, so crocheting or knitting is beyond my capabilities. But I know that a lot of people find it relaxing.
Spend some time planning a weekend trip or even a more extended vacation when the long-awaited summer arrives.
Make a sort of bucket list for all the things you want to do when spring and summer arrive.
And last but not least, one of my favorite yearly things is my count down to summer. I post how many days until summer and a summer photo every few days on Facebook.
Hopefully, some of my suggestions will help us beat the winter blues.
Are you a winter person, or are you more like me who dreads the cold and snow arrival? If you are like me, what are your tips for surviving winter?
"No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn."
Hal Borland
"In the winter she curls up around a good book and dreams away the cold."
Ben Aaronovitch, "Broken Homes"
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