Health & wellbeing
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Good reasons to love winter
“What’s the secret to beating back the metaphorical darkness? Accept the inevitable, tend to your physical and mental health, and stack the deck with feel-good activities….Focusing on all that makes you feel great will make the time fly by – and let you win at winter.” ~Frank Lipman, MD There’s a light dusting of snow outside my window this morning, and more on the way next week. I hate driving in wintery weather — but I’m trying to adapt when Mother Nature gives me the cold shoulder. Science now says that spending time in cold weather is actually good for our health and slows the aging process. Enduring cold temperatures…
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More stuff?
“Keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard all the rest. By doing this, you can reset your life and embark on a new lifestyle.” ~Marie Kondo, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up We spend the month of December buying and accumulating …. more stuff. Why? Because our Christmas tradition requires that we encircle a tree with all sorts of things that ultimately end up getting stuffed in a drawer or stashed on a shelf that’s already loaded with … more stuff! Oh, the irony. Come January, when the buying spree stops and the decorations come down, everyone will complain about the dearth…
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Help for the holidays
“One of the most important ways to reduce stress is to ask for help. This works not only during the holidays, but also all year ’round.” – Dr. Daisy Sutherland It’s no secret that many folks find the Christmas season more stressful than fun. Some of us have trouble saying “no” when it comes to stuffing every moment in December with perpetual activity. We might wonder if “exhaustion” is a synonym for “Christmas spirit.” (Why must we squeeze everyone there is to see and everything there is to do into one cold month of the year?) This year, make a point of asking for help when you need it. Divide and…
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Getting cozy
“It was so wonderful to be there, safe at home, sheltered from the winds and the cold. Laura thought that this must be a little like heaven, where the weary are at rest.” ~Laura Ingalls Wilder The Scandinavian concept of “hygge” suggests a sense of comfort and contentment. The word possibly stems from a Danish word meaning “to give courage, comfort, joy.” Another theory suggests that hygge was derived from the Old Norse word “hugr” — which is the origin of the word “hug.” Hygge has become a popular marketing term in Scandinavia in recent years — and we’ve embraced it here in the northern United States, especially in the cold winter months.…
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When life is not a beach
“When we dwell on the positive, and feed our minds with beauty and goodness, we exude positivity and create favorable situations. It’s as simple as that.” ~Leona Sokolova Sometimes I’m the poster child for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). I typically spend hours outdoors in the summer and fall months — working in the garden, sitting in the garden, walking the dog. Not surprisingly, I hibernate indoors and my mood plummets as soon as winter arrives. I understand why so many folks head south for the winter. But those of us who remain here in the north have to make our own sunshine. We have to brighten our own outlook, whether…
