Winter and the colder months are difficult for many people. It is hard to find things to do outside, driving is more of a process than it needs to be, and shivering all day isn’t the ideal form of exercise most people want.
That being said, even those who don’t find much joy in the colder months, and especially those who have seasonal affective disorder, can find ways to still enjoy themselves and ignore the fact that there is 3 feet of snow on the ground.
1. Ease Into It
When it is already below freezing and you spent the more mild months indoors, it is hard to get over the system shock of the freezing months. This is especially true if you are naturally more of a summer person.
Ease into the cold by finding more to do outdoors during the periods when temperatures are not quite at freezing, and gradually get used to the colder months instead of going straight from warm summer days to bitter cold ones.
2. Find Someone Who Loves The Cold
Including myself, there are plenty of people who actually love the cold! To us, we love adding on layers, shoveling snow, and busting out the fancy scarves. People like this will always find ways to enjoy the colder months, whether it is going on hikes after a snowstorm or turning the simplest chores into a snowball fight.
Just as there are people who are constantly happy in the summer, even when it is pouring rain, there are those who can’t stop smiling even when they are shoveling 2 feet of snow.
3. Embrace Your Inner Child
When was the last time you went sledding, built a snowman or threw a snowball at your neighbor? Simple things like this are free, easy and just as silly as they sound… and that’s a good thing! It doesn’t matter if you are 10, 20 or 30 years old; there are some things that are fun no matter your age.
Getting a cheap inflatable sled and heading to the closest hill you can find with a friend, or gathering up the snow you shoveled in your driveway to build a snowman lets you feel like a kid again, and you’ll quickly remember the days when you enjoyed the cold winter months.
4. Use Up Your Vacation Days
Maybe there is no way to enjoy the cold for some people. Some folks really don’t like the temperatures, the snow and the messy driving, and that is okay, too. Why spend all of your vacation days during the summer when it is already nice outside when you can save them up and use them for when you really need it!
Perhaps you can start the New Year off right with a trip to a warmer destination or request that people give you money toward a vacation for Christmas instead of yet another sweater that you will only wear once anyway.
5. Catch Up With A Forgotten Hobby
Okay, so you have no vacation time left to get out of town for a week, but you have some extra time after work to figure something else out to do. Take this time to pick up the guitar again and finally learn “Sweet Child o’Mine” like you told yourself you would do years ago.
No one can force you outside during the winter, so if you have no other chores left and you’re bored, then grab a hot chocolate and check out that movie on Netflix you’ve been meaning to watch for months.
6. Find The Good In The Bad
Even if you really like summer, don’t forget that there are surely some parts you dislike.
You may hate the cold this time of year, but it’s nice not to deal with bugs for once, too! And, how about not having to deal with those 100-plus-degree days with high humidity, only for the air conditioning to go out?
Winter doesn’t seem so bad now does it?
