Embracing Winter – My Goal for this Season
Leaning in, Trying Not to Fight It
Winter is coming…
Wait.
Correction: winter is here.
And I have never been a fan.
I’ve spent most of my winters whinging about the cold weather, the grey skies, the snow. But recently, I stumbled on the book “How to Winter: Harness Your Mindset to Thrive on Cold, Dark, or Difficult Days” by Dr. Kari Leibowitz and took it as a sign to change my attitude!
Mindset changes have been crucial for me to be successful as an artist, so it only makes sense to me that using similar techniques would work for shifting my thoughts about winter.
As a summer addict who can’t get enough of the sun, the heat, and the outdoors, the concept of embracing the joys of winter is completely foreign to me. A language I’ve never spoken. But I’m tired of hearing myself complain, and I’m ready for a shift. After all, I live in Michigan, where winters are long. Why do I want to wallow in the negatives of a quarter or more of the year?
One positive about unenticing weather is that it doesn’t pull me from the studio work I prioritize this time of year. My studio is in my basement though, and it’s chilly down there. Solvable: portable space heater. My upcoming studio remodel will include a heated, waterproof rug, so that should help even more.
The basement is also dark, as are our grey skies this time of year. Again, solvable: I plan to upgrade the lighting, paint the walls white, and generally tidy and cheer the place up. I also light candles for coziness whilst I work.
In How to Winter, which I found fascinating, Dr. Leibowitz describes the research she did in Norway, living through their long, dark winter. The residents in the small town where she lived truly embraced the season. Candles, fires, cozy sweaters. Getting outdoors purposefully and properly dressed. Taking on activities like cross-country skiing, saunas, and cold plunges. They really seemed to lean into winter, rather than just accept it.
I doubt you’ll see me cross-country skiing any time soon. Not my jam. And while I’m fascinated by the idea of doing cold plunges, the idea of them honestly scares me to death. I do not handle that level of cold well at all! But, I will spend evenings outside in a hot tub – perhaps my most extravagant indulgence – because I really love being out there, especially during a light snow, heating my core while exposing my cheeks to the brisk air.
That said, I do want to adopt some of the ideas from the book. First, trying to change the language and descriptions I use about the weather. Instead of dwelling on how cold and grey it is, I could focus on how cozy and warm it is inside. I can light candles for ambient, more cozy light. (“Cozy” is a predominant theme here!)
I want to adapt to the natural rhythm of the season: shorter days present an opportunity for slowness, rest, and comfort. One of my favorite (and nerdy?) things to do in winter evenings is jigsaw puzzles by the fire. However, that has always felt wasteful and silly to me. This year, I’m trying to accept that leisurely activities like this aren’t wasteful: they’re restorative and comforting. Slowing down is not something to fight against this time of year.
Another thing I will try to incorporate several times a week is a walk in the woods. Yup, good old getting outside! During the pandemic lockdown, I was able to bundle up in my warmest parka and boots for nature walks. If you work up to it, you can acclimate yourself to the cold, especially if you dress properly. Taking the time to notice nature is important for a mindset shift as well as important to me as an artist. We have parks and woods right across the street from my house, so this should be an easy habit to revisit. Noticing nature is a very restorative and easy thing to do, and helps you focus on the positives, “the little things.”
So, to recap a few key takeaways I will embrace:
Change my language
Remember that leisure isn’t wasteful
Lean in to cozy
Notice nature
Lastly, though not in the book, this is a great time of year for reflection. I love to take stock of my work over the past year, evaluate what went well and what didn’t, and think about how I want the next year to feel. At the start of each new year, I like to come up with a “word of the year,” and this is a great opportunity to start thinking about that.
Will I still shiver and grumble this winter? You bet. But I hope that by shifting my focus to change my mindset, my well-being and my work will only improve.
