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Jan 17, 20234 min read

10 Ways to not just Survive, but Thrive this Winter


Winter scene outside my window
Window-View Winter Wonderland

It's mid-January. The holiday season is well behind you, and the novelty of the new year has long evaporated.


Days are still short, cold, and generally dreary.


Let's talk about ways how to not simply get through the winter months, but embrace them!


(NOTE: The links provided are in no way affiliated with me. I use them myself and are listed for your information.)


1. Prepare for Spring.

It may sound counterintuitive, but getting ready for spring now is a great way to do the detailed work ahead of time and have things to look forward to.


Are you planting a garden this year? Having a weekend (or longer) getaway? Determined to get outside more often?


Do some research, write out your plans, and take comfort knowing that longer, warmer days are on the horizon.


2. Take online classes.

Being indoors offers the perfect opportunity to take online courses.


Want to brush up on your writing, artistic, or cooking skills? Interested in learning a new skill, hobby, or expand on current ones?


Plenty of online classes are offered free or at a very low cost. Make the most of having to be indoors by learning!

Woods corridor in winter at Cock Wood in Icklesham, East Sussex, England
Winter Woods Walk

3. Write letters (yes, by hand!)

Find emails a bit impersonal? Have things to share with loved ones and not a fan of social media?


Everyone loves receiving a handwritten note!


Brighten up someone's day by taking the time to write a personal note, even just to say you are thinking of them.


4. Go for Winter Walks.

Yes, it's cold outside. Dreary, too.


However just being outdoors is healthy for your mind, body, and spirit. Plus, nothing makes you appreciate your warm, dry house like being out in the weather, even for a short while.


Take some pictures of your neighbourhood, and save them to compare how the change of seasons affects the landscape.


5. Research your local area.

Even if you've been living in the same place for ages, there is always something new to learn about where you call home.


Plenty of books are available about your area. There are countless online resources providing facts about your local history, landscape, flora, and fauna.


You will appreciate your surroundings more, learn a new fact or remind yourself what you think you already know, and make your future chats with the neighbours far more interesting!


6. Keep track of the night sky.

The long nights of winter offers the chance to see the ever-changing night sky above you!


Annual meteor showers, passing comets, and shifting planets offer day-to-day changes of scenery just outside your front door.

Icy lane in Winchelsea, East Sussex, England
Winter View of Lane, Complete with Ice

7. Record what you see out your windows.

Do you know what kind of trees are in or near your garden? What are the green plants still hanging on all winter outside your house?


Window-gazing isn't just for daydreaming, it offers plenty of opportunities to identify your everyday surroundings.


Keep a list of what you see over the weeks, any changes, and new or disappearing flora and fauna. Write descriptions using all applicable senses. Snap a few photos for reference.


8. Do a book challenge.

Do you have books on your shelf that you've been meaning to read?


Challenge yourself to read at least one chapter a day until you finish. It's amazing how many books you can get through by taking a few minutes every day to tuck in to small bits of reading each day.


You can even start an informal book club with a few friends or family members and compare notes on what you read.


9. Multi-task chores.

Lacking the motivation to clean the back closet with a door that barely closes? Have you put off major cleaning jobs until you absolutely *must* tend to them?


Decide to clean at least one thing a day: a shelf, room, closet, or area.


Listen to podcasts, audiobooks, or the radio station of your choice to entertain and educate yourself whilst doing those dreaded tidy-ups!

Pett Lane in winter, Icklesham, East Sussex, England
Pett Lane in Mid-Winter

10. Host a Game Night.

If you are feeling low about the winter months, chances are your loved-ones are as well.


Brighten up the week by hosting a Game Night!


Whether a physical board game or online quiz questions, there are plenty of ideas to offer a fun reprieve to everyone during the cold, dark winter weeks.


Add a bonus by having a pot-luck dinner at the same time, where each person brings a dish to add warming calories before, during, or after your game.

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