How to Winter

 In 36 days, the vernal equinox occurs. That fact keeps me going through my northern Indiana winter. The next 4 days we will not even get to 20 degrees. A countdown to spring helps. 

However, Kari Leibowitz in her book How to Winter: Harness Your Mindset to Thrive on Cold, Dark, or Difficult Days says that the attitude of looking on the bright side that winter will not last, soon be over, reinforces negative mindsets about winter. It means we are not living in the moment and focusing on what is wonderful about winter. Our mindsets influence what we notice and what we expect. If we have a positive mindset about winter, we will look for opportunities to enjoy winter.

We in the United States suffer from living in a culture that is out of sync with yearly rhythms of light and dark. This is not true of all cultures, and she tells us of places she has studied and visited where the mindset about winter is very different from ours. She lived for several months in Norway above the Arctic Circle where there was no sunrise and sunset as she experienced where she normally resides; but there were the Northern lights which inspired awe. There were warm affordable clothes which she availed herself of. Trails were cleared to make walking in nature easy. She admits that how one's town, state, country responds to weather and facilitates winter life can make it easier or harder to embrace the season. 

She has formally studied mindsets and their influences. She spends lots of time explaining mindsets. 

Her strategies to embrace winter are to appreciate what makes it special and different, to make it special with coziness, rituals, meaningful events, and to get outside. 

Winter is a time for rest. It asks us to fill our days with indoor diversions: baking, knitting, quilting, reading, listening to music, sitting by the fire, doing crafts and puzzles, playing games. Refining our ability to make our own joys during long nights or cold/wet weather, empowers us to find micro-moments of happiness in any season she says. Cultivate quiet contentment.

She describes cultures that have special rituals in winter. A major one is gathering around a fire. Some others are "polar plunges", Christmas festivities, star gazing, hygge.

She is seeking winter ambassadors who will instead of whining about winter will extoll its wonders. She did not convert me. I do some of the comforting cozy things she suggests, but I do not find pleasure in being outside in dark cold days. I do not appreciate winter limitations.