When I met Hans during college, I did not come close to matching his enthusiasm for winter. For me, winter meant dry skin and the constant need to chip ice off my car’s windshield. For Hans, winter meant the opportunity to ski.
I’ve come to find out that being a “winter person” is much like being a “morning person.” For many of us, it’s just easier and so much comfier to stay cozied up in protest of mornings/winter. And while I fully support taking time to relax, it also just feel really good when I get up and go in the morning – or when I get outside and take advantage of New Hampshire’s wintertime activities.
Winter sports
I used to go cross-country skiing with my family when I was young but never really got into it, and I was always afraid to try downhill skiing. I also wasn’t thrilled at the possibility of liking it, given it’s reputation for being an expensive hobby.
Hans grew up skiing in all of its forms. His dad has been teaching lessons at a local Nordic center for years – and Hans and his sister joined in during high school and college – so their family always had access to discounted gear and free trail/mountain passes.
I spent the first 2 years of my relationship with Hans getting back into cross-country skiing before being convinced to try downhill for the first time at 23 years old. I liked it! Hans and I have even started working some weekends at the same Nordic center in exchange for downhill passes. I HIGHLY recommend that you look into something like this if the idea of spending hundreds on a season pass doesn’t appeal to you like it most definitely does not appeal to me.
The ski pass is feeling especially worthwhile during the winter months of the COVID-19 pandemic, when other social activities are extremely limited. I don’t know about you, but I’m not so interested in a backyard BBQ when the temperature is below freezing.
So… give winter sports a chance!
Here is a list of some activities to try:
- Downhill (alpine) skiing or snowboarding
- Cross-country (Nordic) skiing
- Hiking*
- Snowshoeing
- Ice skating
- Fat tire biking
Hans is working on a series of posts introducing the basics of skiing (downhill & cross-country). Keep an eye out for those if you’re interested in trying these methods of enjoying what’s left of winter! I’m also writing about clothing suggestions in a future post – stay tuned if you’re looking for those.
*You’ll want to make sure that you have proper gear before hiking mountains in snowy/icy conditions. Microspikes are helpful to have on the ice while snow shoes are good for tramping your way through deep snow.
Finding the energy
When I’m trying to enjoy cold winter days, my energy level makes all the difference.
Getting enough sleep is something that I value over most other things. It affects everything from mood to productivity to immune system strength. If I’m feeling on edge, lazy, and sick… I’m not going to enjoy anything, and certainly not the winter.
Consider how you might wake up more gently
Even if I get plenty of sleep, winter mornings can be tough. Waking up to a cold, dark morning does nothing to inspire me to leap out of bed.
I recently decided to buy a Lumie Bodyclock Shine 300* to see if light was the missing piece of my waking up routine. Their website describes their wake-up lights as being “like a personal sunrise, a gradually brightening light that gently rouses you from sleep so that you feel naturally wide awake, more energised and ready for the day ahead.”
I love it. There is an option to turn on a sound (birds, ocean waves, etc.) in addition to the sunrise light, which I do utilize. The light gradually intensifies over a customizable period of time – I have it set for 20 minutes – and then the sound fades in. I keep the light across the bedroom, and the light/sound combo is stimulating enough to keep me awake without being obnoxious.
You might not need a fancy light clock in order to wake up gradually. Maybe a gentle alarm sound or a partner/roommate will do the trick for you. Or maybe you don’t wake up until the real sun is out. But I am a big fan of my Lumie!
Hydrate early and often
I’ve written previously about water consumption as a (probably rather obvious) method of saving money and feeling better, physically and mentally. Seriously, there is a dramatic difference between chronic dehydration and actually drinking enough water.
Move your body
I’m someone who sits every which way but straight up in my office chair, staring at a computer all day long. I also hunch into myself when I’m cold. Yoga does wonders for my angry neck and shoulders, but I’ve historically struggled to make the time for it. This is why I challenged myself to practice yoga every day in January 2021…
…and I succeeded! As I wrote in the above Instagram post: with each day that I factor yoga into my schedule, pull out the mat, and DO IT, it feels less and less like a decision.
At the end of the day, not everyone is going to love the type of winters that we get here in New England. But if you find yourself living in a place that experiences this dark, bitterly cold season that never seems to end… it will end a little faster if you can find ways to enjoy it (:
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