“Take long walks in stormy weather or through deep snows in the fields and woods.
By: Lina Di Blasio
Tags: Mindset Shift, Winter, Joy

“Take long walks in stormy weather or through deep snows in the fields and woods. If you would keep your spirits up. Deal with brute nature. Be cold and hungry and weary.”

Henry David Thoreau

Reasons to Love Winter

By Lina Di Blasio

The onset of winter may be a dark and gloomy time for you. Maybe you suffer from bouts of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or simply dread and complain about it until the mercury rises in March. If heading South isn’t an option for you, consider shifting your mindset.

I’ve always loved the winter (it’s the dog days of August that drag me down). My family and close friends know how much joy I get from winter. I love cold, gray skies that presage flurries or crisp blue skies that signal freezing temperatures, and nothing is as invigorating and uplifting for me as a brisk walk on a clear wintry day.

I guess you could say that I have a “positive wintertime mindset,” a phrase coined by Kari Leibowitz, health psychologist at Stanford University. Leibowitz spent time in Tromso, Norway, 200 miles North of the Arctic Circle, to understand how the residents of Tromso thrive during its long winter where the sun hibernates for two months. Despite the lack of daylight, Tromso has a very low rate of seasonal depression.

Leibowitz explains that “People there see the winter as a special time of year full of opportunities for enjoyment and fulfillment, rather than a limiting time of year to dread” (nytimes.com).

With this idea in mind, I compiled a list of eight reasons to love winter. It’s my invitation for you to embrace rather than endure winter. By sharing my love of winter, I hope you’ll kick off the new year with more joy, energy, and fulfillment, much like the citizens of Tromso.

Winter Birds

You don’t need to be an experienced birdwatcher to notice striking red cardinals and blue-jays flitting against the white backdrop of a winter day. I stock my bird feeder with seeds all winter-long simply to enjoy these beautiful flashes of red and blue pecking at the feeder.

Not only is birdwatching delightful, it’s also a way for you to practice mindfulness this winter, whether you’re indoors or out. It requires focused attention because they move quickly, and embracing nature like this, it turns out, can have therapeutic effects.

If you’re so inclined, you might even consider installing a squirrel table to feed those furry backyard creatures. They’re all the rage since the pandemic hit because observing nature in action can be soothing and amusing.

Awe

Winter is filled with awe-inspiring scenes, more so than any other season, I would argue.

Awe “is the feeling we get in the presence of something vast that challenges our understanding of the world, like looking up at millions of stars in the night sky…” according to the Greater Good Science Center. Not convinced? Click here for a virtual tour of magical winter wonderlands.

Snow in and of itself is magical. After a significant snowfall, sidewalks sparkle, nights are brighter, and evenings seem quieter. Notice how individual snowflakes are fleeting works of art, here one minute, gone the next.

One man’s passion for snowflakes led him to photograph more than 5000 snow crystals. Click here to read Maria Popova’s essay on Wilson Bentley’s photomicroscopy of snow crystals, and be sure to scroll through the whole article to see the photographs of snowflakes. You will be awestruck.

Experiencing awe may actually be good for you. Not only can this positive emotion improve your mood, it may even enhance your health. One study found that the experience of awe is associated with lower levels of pro-inflammatory proteins, which are markers of good health.

So go ahead and seek awe-inspiring scenes on a daily basis this winter. Not only will it enhance your health, it may also put you in a cheerier mood.

Cozy Books, Hot Chocolate, Home-Baked Cookies

Need I Say More?

Imagine yourself sitting by a fireplace, your feet resting on a coffee table as you sip a mug of hot chocolate and lose yourself in a good book. Doesn’t that feel warm and toasty, especially if you’re just coming in from a long winter walk?

Don’t forget the cookies. What’s a snow day without firing up the oven to bake a sweet treat? Not only will it warm up your home, but baking a batch of cookies will soothe the soul of whoever’s turn it is to shovel the walkway. What a great way to say thank you for a job well done.

Don’t have a fireplace? No problem, just light a few candles and go on youtube for a virtual fireplace with crackling sounds that lasts for a whole eight hours.

Surround yourself with pillows, fluffy blankets, a pet if you have one, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for a cozy evening on a gelid winter’s night. This is hygge or koselig 101. No wonder Scandinavians celebrate the winter. Wintertime is all about comfort, home, and togetherness.

Cherish it, because you can’t get that snuggly experience in the summertime. Think of how unpleasant you’ll feel entering an air-conditioned house after a power walk on a hot and muggy day this summer.

Winter Solstice

The winter solstice marks the beginning of winter, and although it’s the shortest day and the longest night of the year, our days are now getting longer. Going forward, we’ll enjoy more sunlight every day until we reach the summer solstice on June 20th, 2021.

With longer days, you can start using that fire pit you installed last fall, invite friends over for some hot toddies, and pretend you’re at a ski lodge in Aspen. Don’t forget the blankets and some good tunes.

Winter Activities

Speaking of Aspen, try one of many winter-time activities. Go to your nearest REI store and check out their menu of winter classes and day trips, from winter wilderness survival skills to snow-shoeing. Or go to your nearest ski hill and book a lesson.

Other activities to try: ice-skating, cross-country skiing, sledding, tubing, hiking, and more, although a nice walk will do. You’ll acquire a rosy glow by day’s end, move your body, and be in a better mood without ever worrying about pesky mosquitoes.

Comfort Food

I crave a plate of piping hot lasagna in the middle of July, said no one ever. Comfort food is best enjoyed during the colder months. That’s when I do most of my cooking and baking.

Think of all the soul-satisfying meals you can enjoy after an afternoon snow-blowing your driveway or shredding the ski hills.

How about beef stew, French onion soup, coque au vin, chicken parm, meatloaf, pot roast, or mac and cheese? Are you hungry yet? These meals are way more satisfying in the winter than at any other time of the year, so savor them while you can.

Luminaries

Every year at dusk on Christmas Eve, my husband places about twenty-five sand-filled waxed paper bags containing a stubby candle on the sidewalk adjacent to our house. In fact, almost everyone in our town participates in this annual tradition to raise money for local charities. By 5:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve, the streets in our neighborhood are alight with luminaries lining sidewalks.

What a great way to celebrate Christmas or New Year’s Eve! Click here to view a DIY luminary video.

Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is a bright spot in the middle of February when we need it most. And it doesn’t have to be a cheesy romantic celebration. When I was a kid, every year on Valentine’s Day my mom would give my siblings and me a solid chocolate heart from Laura Secord (Canada’s Godiva) nestled in a box that opened like a book.

When my own kids were young, we loved baking heart-shaped cookies and fashioning Valentines out of craft paper and doilies for classmates. Although my kids no longer exchange Valentines, I still cherish this special day and indulge them with gift bags filled with chocolate hearts and other treats from the local candy store.

Valentine’s Day is a celebration for families, one more day during the year to express our affection and gratitude towards the ones we love.

Besides, who doesn’t delight in seeing store windows decked out in red and pink hearts on rainy days when it’s too mild for flurries?

Go ahead and enjoy the splendor of winter, and tell me what your favorite wintertime activity is.