I #lovemnwinter, today I love MN Winters!
By Holly (she/her)
MN WINTERS
Two inches? 12 inches? Flurries? Polar Vortex? Grey skies for weeks. Bring it.
Several years ago I decided to limit my complaining about the weather and instead embrace the coldest/darkest days of MN winters. The idea was that I wouldn’t be setting myself up to feel frustrated and miserable. Hopefully, I would spend time enjoying things that I previously wrote off and not fight the inevitable.
It worked! I had a great winter (it was the year of the Polar Vortex). I learned about bird activity in January and February. I discovered this #lovemnwinter blog. I started noticing MANY signs of spring, starting in mid-January, that kept me going. I found that I especially loved SNOW!
Changing my expectations of winter for the positive, expecting it to bring me joy, has changed my life. Now, I LOVE SNOW and I look forward to winter-only experiences. Reminding myself to do this every year is now a part of my seasonal mental health care and I can’t recommend it enough for anyone who struggles with the cold and snow.
Pro Tip: Let people around you know if you are trying to change your negative feelings about winter. Ask them to not share their complaints with you and, if they are up for it, to help you think of more things to enjoy!