Surviving winter, some tips from a summer lover

Winter is such a controversial season over here. People are pretty much separated in three categories.

Category A: Winter lovers. These guys will tell you that there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing. They enjoy the cold and take every occasion to tell you how amazing it was to go jump in snow in the middle of the night when it was minus a billion degrees outside. They will also tell you that the ice storm is soooo beautiful and that snow really is magical.

Category B: The survivors. These people don’t really like winter but have accepted that it’s part of their lives, and so they keep calm and carry on. When prompted about how cold it is or about how much snow there is, they’ll answer: “Well, it’s not that bad. It could be worse.”

Category C: Summer lovers. These people hate winter. In fact, as soon as fall kicks in, their insides start to churn with the irresistible desire to move to Hawaii or Australia. They pretty much suffer all the way to spring, where they come back to life.

As you can probably guess by the title, this is my crew. This year, when the first snow hit the ground, I pretty much cried myself to the gym. I will often be moaning about how terrible snow shoveling is, or how unbearably cold the temperatures are. To be fair, living in Quebec has given me quite a lot of winter, tons of snow and incredible subzero temperatures. In an effort to embrace the present moment and to not feel miserable for most of the year, here are some strategies and tips I’ve been prescribing myself this winter. Mind you, I’m still looking forward to summer like a lunatic, but even I have to admit winter is not as bad this year.

1. Accept the fact that winter is here to stay: Because happiness is a state of mind, I find it easier to wrap my mind around the fact that when winter is here, it’s here. What I mean by this is that by relinquishing the daily hope that it will be summer for a day, it’s easier to accept that it’s winter and that snow and cold are part of it.
2. Worship the sun: Because sun is such a rare commodity in the winter months, take every opportunity to soak in every tiny ray of it. Sunbathe behind a window, take that sunsoaked bench at the gym, stop what you are doing and go put your face in the light for a few minutes. 
3. Create a going outside routine: If it was up to me, I would stay in bed until spring, but that is not happening any time soon. So, I try to make going outside part of my routine. Lately, I’ve been enjoying listening to podcasts while I walk outside in the morning. Adding this to my morning routine means that I have to kick myself out of bed a tad earlier, but it also means that I’ve moved around a little bit before I start working. It also means that I’ve been outisde and survived the cold already.
4. Explore the outside world: Go on small day trips on the week-ends and explore what different parts of your city or region have to offer in the winter months. This winter, we discovered that a neighbouring town had a really cute ice-skating rink overlooking a spectacular lake. It was cold, it was wet, but we had a lot of fun!
5. Embrace chilling sessions: Once you have been brave and got your butt outside, treat yourself to some nice chilling sessions. Grab your favourite sweather and book and enjoy being inside. Make it special, make it Danish, and go full hygge style!

I really hope these tips will help you get through the last months of winter! Spring is almost there, and well, for once winter is not completely killing me. What are your tips?