If you choose not to find joy in the snow, you will have less joy in your life but still the same amount of snow. This quote by an unknown author is like the Midwest winter version of Jon Kabat-Zinn’s quote about a beautiful day at the ocean: you can’t stop the waves but you can learn to surf. We cannot control the immediate, outside weather, but as Dr. Roseanne Scammahorn points out, we can control our personal, internal weather of how we think about and react to external situations.
In Ohio, we might have snow, rain, ice, or we might have a bright, clear day. Across the state, all these different situations might be true right now. You do not have to love snow (or ice or rain), but if you take the time to bring up a favorite memory or a current moment to notice the sparkle or freshness, you can add a note of gratefulness to your day for all the seasons throughout the year.
If you’re looking for a short break from working on the computer, take one and half minutes to enjoy an online snow globe or a minute to draw and watch your iceberg float at Iceberger. If you’re staying inside, grab some colored pencils and print a copy of winter coloring pages like mittens or winter birds. If coloring is not your cup of tea, make your plans now to slow down and enjoy a warm cup of tea, cocoa, or coffee.
We wish you comfort and joy all through the year, and we also acknowledge that the wintertime can sometimes be difficult. If you need any resources related to SAD (seasonal affective disorder) or other seasonal challenges, please find the best support for your situation. If you find yourself – or a loved one – struggling, please use local support or call the Ohio CareLine at 1-800-720-9616. Ohio’s CareLine is free, anonymous, open 24/7, and staffed with licensed behavioral health professionals.
What brings you comfort or joy? Jot down a list and then do more of it! This list of Mindfulness Ideas and Activities was collected by the OSU Mindful Wellness team and can be used as an idea-starter for your practice. If you’d like to follow a recorded mindfulness practice, we recommend the links at the Wexner Medical Center.
Bundle up and head outdoors! Use all your senses as you walk. Use this Live Healthy Live Well blog on Wonder and Wander in Nature this Winter for ideas. For more information on the value of nature in our lives, including articles and infographics, visit Nature Matters.
If you choose not to find joy in the snow, you will have less joy in your life but still the same amount of snow. How are you finding your joy this winter season?
Written by: Patrice Powers-Barker, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension Lucas County
Reviewed by: Jenny Lobb, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Franklin County, and Pat Holmes, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Montgomery County
Photo Credit: Melinda Hill, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension Wayne County
Sources:
Dellifield, J. (01/12/17). Beating the winter blues. Live Healthy Live Well https://livehealthyosu.com/2017/01/12/beating-the-winter-blues-2/
Lobb, J. (01/07/21). Opt outside to beat the winter blues. Live Healthy Live Well. https://livehealthyosu.com/2021/01/07/opt-outside-to-beat-the-winter-blues/
McCallum, K. (07/14/21). Can weather affect your mood? Houston Methodist. https://www.houstonmethodist.org/blog/articles/2021/jul/can-weather-affect-your-mood/
Scammahorn, R. (01/18/22). You control your own weather. Live Healthy Live Well https://livehealthyosu.com/2022/01/18/you-control-your-own-weather/
Seasonal Affective Disorder. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20364651
Stanton, L. (11/30/21). Wonder and wander in nature this winter. Live Healthy Live Well https://livehealthyosu.com/2021/11/30/wonder-and-wander-in-nature-this-winter/
Stanton, L. (n.d.). Nature Matters. OSU Extension, Warren County. https://warren.osu.edu/program-areas/family-and-consumer-sciences/healthy-people/nature-matters
Live Healthy Live Well 
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