1. Change Your Mindset.

As soon as the temperature dips below freezing, there’s a flood of snarky comments and memes online. “I hate winter”, “I wasn’t made for winter”, “I don’t do winter” and even “die die winter!” (picture: toppled snowman riddled with knives). Even the weather person starts to complain! With the constant bombardment of winter negativity it’s no surprise that so many people hate winter, it’s become the cool thing to do.

Change the way you think and talk about winter.

I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you… we are in charge of our Attitudes.”  ― Charles R. Swindoll

The first step to unleashing your inner yeti is to change the way you think and talk about winter. Take on this challenge wholeheartedly. Instead of complaining about the frigid temperatures and epic snowfall shift your perspective to see how these weather events open exciting opportunities. A big snowfall is an opportunity for sledding down a hill or building a snowman with the kids. Remember that your views about winter are not fixed, you can change them.

Fake it till you make it.

If you’ve been hating on winter for a long time it might take effort and persistence to change your mindset. Don’t sit around and wait for your mindset to change, start acting as if it already has: fake it till you make it! There’s some serious research that backs this strategy. When snow starts falling force a smile instead of a frown¹ or strike a power pose and tell yourself “bring it on!”².

Surround yourself with lovers of winter.

Changing your winter mindset can be challenging when you’re surround by winter haters. Ditch the haters and spend time with people that enjoy winter. The best place to find these people is to frequent their hangouts. Hint: go outside. Another great way to meet like minded people is to join Facebook groups or pages, Meetup groups or get inspired by following Instagram profiles of people who enjoy winter.

Suggested Books:

2. Dress for the Weather.

There’s no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing. – Ralph Fiennes

If you want to enjoy winter, dress for it! This bit of advice might seem really obvious but it can’t be emphasized enough.

Invest in good base layers.

Base layers are made of a material that stays dry, warm and sits close to the body like a second skin. You can wear base layers under your regular clothes to stay toasty warm the whole day long. For a breakdown on the different types of base layers read about them here or check out these fun base layers from a family-owned Canadian company: Stripes Gear.

Wrap up with warm mid-layers.

If it’s really cold outside wrap yourself up in warm mid-layers like fleece. Fleece is the winter warrior’s armor.

Keep out the cold with outer layers.

Invest in a good snow coat, snow pants, mitts, toque and winter boots. When dressed right, winter will be exciting instead of terrifying.

Don’t skimp on winter gear.

Purchase the best winter gear that you can afford. High quality gear will last for many seasons. If cost is an issue, shop off-season or find quality winter gear at the thrift stores (you’d be surprised by what people give away). For children look for used gear online, or in community gear swaps.

3. Get Outside Often.

Winter can look terrifying from the comforts of our cozy homes, but with the right clothes and attitude there’s nothing to fear. Make a point of enjoying winter outside every day, even if it’s only for a little while. You’ll be delighted to discover that winter is a wonderful, magical time of the year.

• Go for a walk around the block, through a park or forest and observe changes from day to day.
• Play in the snow with your children (make a snowman, fort, snow angels).
• Be a snow angel (help shovel walkways and driveways).
• Walk to school with your kids.

4. Try New Winter Activities.

There are many activities that we can enjoy only in the winter months. This winter try something new and find that one activity that get you excited for winter to come.

• Skiing (downhill or cross-country)
• Snowboarding
• Snoeshowing
• Winter Hiking
• Skating (outside)
• Sledding or tubing
• Ice fishing
• Dogsledding
• Making snow sculptures (how-to video)
• Ice climbing

5. Celebrate Winter with Family and Friends.

Winter is the season of celebration, so take advantage of each and every one that comes your way. Here are some fun ideas for celebrating winter:

• Celebrate Winter Solstice. (December 21st)
• Take part in winter festivals and carnivals. (mid-January to end of February)
• Throw a sledding, skating or snow sculpting party.
• Host an outdoor winter feast.
• Build a bonfire and roast marshmallows.

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References

1. Grin and Bear It! Smiling Facilitates Stress Recovery.
2. Some examples of how power posing can actually boost your confidence.