What about winter? During this cold and harsh season, we asked our readers. Instagram When we asked how they were keeping up, we were flooded with hundreds of replies. Here, 11 readers share their great ideas for staying energized…
Above: “I’m a teacher in Minneapolis. We’ve been hugging and caring for our students, staff, and neighbors the last few months during the ICE operation. This is me and my best friend Otis. We’re barely getting by. Thank you so much for giving our community the attention it deserves.” — Mel
“Museums are huge for my daughter and I. They get us out of the house, slow us down, and remind us that there is beauty everywhere. We recently saw the Monet exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum, and watching my daughter appreciate the colors made the experience so much more fun.” — Fariha
“My friends and I went all out to plan an Ina Garten-themed dinner to celebrate her birthday. We even wore bob wigs and dressed up as Queen Ina. The dinner itself was delicious (shout out to Ina for the recipe!). Tomato crostini with whipped feta cheese, Balsamic roasted beet salad, Orange roasted rainbow carrots and Grilled rigatoni with lamb raguand brownie pudding. I showed up in a big denim shirt and yelled, ‘How easy is that?!'” — Tenley (second from left)
“Five years ago, we moved to the Pacific Northwest. Please prepare for rainthey said. Yes, I understand, it’s wet. No, but it’s true. It’s dark and cold and it’s raining a lot. Solution: sauna. There’s been a lot of research on its health benefits, but surprisingly, it keeps you warm and makes you feel good. bonus? Selfies in the sauna are awesome. ” — Rosalyn
“Three of my neighbors and I host art nights where we teach each other crafts. A few months ago, I taught linoleum printmaking. Before the holidays, I made pinch pots and sgraffitos with a potter friend. Next up is jewelry making and felt making. It was great to spend time with women of all ages. These meet-ups sparked lots of laughter and community.” — Susan
“During the pandemic, my husband and I tried cold water swimming for the first time. I just wanted to feel something. I was instantly addicted to the high. My husband said, ‘That was fun, never again!'” Now, I’ve been doing this for six years, and my swim buddies and I call ourselves the North Fork Polar Bears. I trained myself to stay underwater for 15 minutes. Learning how to stay is a whole other skill, just staying. Before you go in, you feel excited and nervous, but when you step outside, you feel a rush of dopamine. ” — Leah
“I bought some himalayan salt lampAnd I love turning them on and lighting all the candles. I reconstructed the story. Instead of saying, “Oh, it’s getting dark so quickly,” I’m going to say, “It’s time to brighten up.” ” — Destine
“Our run club has been going strong for 10 years. We lace up our shoes two or three times a week, early in the morning, all year round. But the true power of run club shines in the winter, when we run hard on snowy sidewalks, jump over puddles, and 10 temps. Running in the dark on a sunny morning gives me a real sense of being alive. We finish our run with a coffee and snack session, then dash off to work or home to help with the morning shuffle of kids, knowing we’ll have a gaggle of gals waiting on the sidewalk at 6:30 a.m. to get us out of bed and get us through the season together. ” — Sarah
“My kids play travel hockey, so we’re often out in the cold with weekday practices and weekend games. We all look forward to watching the Olympics, especially hockey and speed skating.” — Clotilde Ewing
“Out of nowhere, I became a suburban birdwatcher. It was very cold here in Stockholm, so I randomly set up a bird feeder in the apple tree in front of my kitchen window. I had fed birds before, but I wasn’t that interested. Now I spend my weekends standing by the window, looking for winter birds that are common in Sweden and identifying them. My husband seems to be as perplexed by this as I am!” Mina
“I live in Ottawa, a Canadian city with a particularly wintery climate (hello, Heat Rivalry, Season 2!). I usually spend the season cross-country skiing, but now that I have a baby, my weekly highlight is mom + baby aquafi at the local pool. I was so happy to discover that it’s a heated pool! It’s so soothing when your muscles get sore from rocking or taking your baby everywhere. Some babies get so relaxed that they fall asleep.” — Fiona
We hope you will share your ideas for overcoming the winter blues. thank you very much! Shit shit
PS Ten readers share their winter outfits and 14+ ideas for staying well this winter.
Source: Cup of Jo – cupofjo.com
