How is your winter going? This season has been cold and intense, that’s why we asked the readers of instagram how they keep their spirits up, and hundreds of responses came. Here, 11 readers share great ideas for staying optimistic…
Above: “I’m a teacher in Minneapolis. During these months of ICE operations, we’ve embraced and taken the utmost care of our students, staff, and neighbors. Here’s me and my best friend, Otis, just barely getting by. Thank you so much for giving our community the attention it deserves.” —Mel
“Museums are important to 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. Watching my daughter enjoy the colors made the experience very joyful.” —Fariha
“My friends and I went out of our way to plan an Ina Garten-themed dinner to celebrate her birthday. We even dressed up as Queen Ina, complete with short wigs. The dinner itself was delicious (shout out to Ina for the recipes!) and included tomato crostini with whipped feta cheese, balsamic roasted beet salad, roasted rainbow carrots with orange and Baked rigatoni with lamb ragoutand brownie pudding. I showed up in a big jean shirt and exclaimed ‘How easy is that?!’” — Tenley (second from left)
“Five years ago, we moved to the Pacific Northwest. Get ready for the rainthey said. Yes, yes, we get it, it’s wet. No, but really: it’s dark, it’s cold and it’s raining a lot! Solution: sauna. All kinds of studies talking about the health benefits, but wow, it warms you up and makes you feel great. Premium? Sauna selfies are fantastic.” —Rosalyn
“Three of my neighbors and I have been hosting an art night where we teach each other crafts. A few months ago, I taught linoleum block printmaking. Before the holidays, we made pots and sgraffito with my potter friend. Then, jewelry making and felting. It’s been wonderful spending time with women of different ages, and these gatherings have inspired a lot of laughter and community.” —Susan
“My husband and I tried swimming in cold water for the first time during the pandemic. I just wanted to… feel something. I was immediately addicted to the rush, he said, ‘That was fun, never again!’ I’ve been doing it for six years now, and my swimming friends and I call ourselves the North Fork Polar Bears. I trained myself to stay in the water for 15 minutes. Learning to stay is another art, and it is just that: staying. Before I walk in, I feel excited and nervous, and when I walk out, I feel a rush of dopamine.” — Read
“I bought some Himalayan salt lampsand I love lighting them and lighting all my candles. I’ve rephrased the narrative: Instead of ‘ugh, it gets dark so early,’ I’ll say, ‘It’s time to lighten my mood.’” — Destinee
“Our Run Club has been going strong for 10 years. We lace up early in the morning, two or three times a week, year-round. But the true power of Run Club shines in the winter. Walking down snowy sidewalks, jumping in puddles, and running in the dark on a 10° morning makes us feel alive. We finish our runs with a coffee and chat session before rushing off to work or home to help with the kids’ morning walk. Knowing that there is a group of friends waiting on the sidewalk at 6:30 am, putting on Yaks Traks and headlights, gets us out of bed and we spend the season together.” -Sarah
“My kids play travel hockey, so we often double up on the cold with midweek practices and weekend games. We all enthusiastically follow the Olympics, especially hockey and speed skating.” -Clotilde Ewing
“Out of nowhere, I’ve become a suburban birdwatcher. It was very cold here in Stockholm, so I randomly set up a bird feeder on the apple tree in front of our kitchen window. We’d fed the birds before, but I was never that interested. Now I’ve spent weekends standing by the window and looking for common winter birds in Sweden to identify them. My husband seems as perplexed by this as I am!” -Mine
“I live in a particularly wintry Canadian city: Ottawa (hello, Heated Rivalry, season two!). I usually spend the season cross-country skiing, but now that I have a baby, our weekly highlight is Mom + Baby Aquafit at a local pool, which I was delighted to discover is heated! Bliss! It’s so relaxing for sore muscles from rocking and carrying baby around. Some babies get so relaxed they even fall asleep.” —Fiona
We’d love to hear your ideas for beating the winter blues, if you’d like to share them. Thank you so much! xoxxoxo
PS Ten readers share their winter outfits and 14 (more) ideas to stay optimistic this winter.
