MOMMY CHRONICLES: Weathering winter well: it’s all in your perspective

Whether you love it or hate it, there’s no denying winter is here. And while you have no control over how low the thermometer may drop or how much snow may fall, you do have control over how you choose to weather the season. When my kids were younger, on wintry days or the extra special no-school snow days, they’d be out in the yard dressed head to toe in warm weather gear – from the tops of their tassel-hatted heads to the soles of their winter boots. Whether building snow people, practicing bellyflops on their sleds, or trying to stay upright on snowboards, one of the only ways to get them to come back inside and out of cold, wet clothes was the offer of hot cocoa with marshmallows. “Snow days are the best days ever!,” they would cheer.
On a winter hike one Saturday, our dog walked along the edge of a frozen stream. When she heard the ice begin to creak, instead of retreating to the bank, she ran forward, toward the center of the frozen stream. Unfortunately, the ice was thinner there, and she broke through to the icy water below. While I held onto our small girls, daddy the hero jumped in after our dog, not realizing the water was waist deep. He quickly dragged himself and our terrified dog to the bank where they collected themselves, shivering and wet. Definitely not what we had hoped for that snowy afternoon. Before the icy water could freeze on their legs, they hiked twenty minutes back to the car in double time, anxious for dry clothes and warm snacks.
A few weeks later, we ventured out for another winter hike – this time, with a short leash on the dog. The girls walked along the winding trail through the woods near a river. Though not too near the river, as we had all learned from our last hike. Only a few minutes from the car, each tried to be the first to find a frozen puddle which they would then stomp on, delighting in the sound of shattering ice. This was great fun until the youngest located one and stomped down, only to realize the puddle was deeper than she thought. And also not completely frozen. The icy water splashed up her legs and inside her boots, at which time our brief hike was over. She declared, “This is the worst day ever!” On the brief walk back to the car, I reminded her that her daddy and dog had a much colder and wetter time of it on our last hike. Undeterred, she noted, “Well, that was their worst day ever.”
In her book, "How to Winter: Harness Your Mindset to Thrive in Cold, Dark, or Difficult Days," author Kari Leibowitz shares research that supports the idea that our perspective, more than our circumstances shapes our experiences. Spending our time complaining about the cold or the snow does nothing to change either. In fact, this negative mindset makes the season seem endless. Studies show that when we embrace the shift in season, not just by addressing our physical needs with warm clothing and shelter, but by settling into what can be a slower, cozy time, winter can be enjoyable and even restorative.
By focusing on those winter routines and activities that fill up our best days, we can counter the not-so-great parts. Whether that means drying soggy boots and gloves after an epic snow day or after unexpectedly breaking through the ice. No matter what happens, why not pull on some cozy clothes, grab some hot cocoa with extra marshmallows, and weather the season well?
~Article by Stacy Turner
~Photo credit: © Luboslav Ivanko | Dreamstime.com