WEBVTT - Second Cup: Learn to love winter

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning.

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<v Speaker 1>This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's

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<v Speaker 1>tip is to stop complaining about winter weather and to

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<v Speaker 1>boost your happiness by learning to enjoy this season. We're

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<v Speaker 1>coming into winter, at least for those of you listening

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<v Speaker 1>in the northern Hemisphere, and as the leaves fall off

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<v Speaker 1>the trees and the days get darker and colder, it's

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<v Speaker 1>easy to give in too gloom. Complaining about freezing temperatures

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<v Speaker 1>and sleet and snow could basically be its own winter

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<v Speaker 1>Olympic sport. Of course, people in my part of North

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<v Speaker 1>America don't have nearly as intense winters as people far

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<v Speaker 1>to the north, in northern Alaska, for instance. In Scandinavia,

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<v Speaker 1>the sun sets in November and does not rise until January.

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<v Speaker 1>It sounds impossibly bleak to me, but a few years

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<v Speaker 1>ago I wrote about some research on people who lived

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<v Speaker 1>in these far northern places. They did not suffer from

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<v Speaker 1>outsized rates of the winter blues. Instead, people who chose

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<v Speaker 1>to live in these places also chose to have a

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<v Speaker 1>different mindset about winter. They celebrated coziness with candles and fires,

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<v Speaker 1>warm blankets, thick sweaters and festive beverages. They embraced activities

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<v Speaker 1>such as skiing or snowshoeing that can only be done

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<v Speaker 1>in winter. They held festivals to experience winter as a

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<v Speaker 1>social occasion. If you think about it, whoever decided to

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<v Speaker 1>place Christmas around the winter solstice was onto something smart

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<v Speaker 1>rather than more in the dark. People have fun with

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<v Speaker 1>their families. People in northern climates made sure to get

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<v Speaker 1>outside during the middle of the day, when even polar

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<v Speaker 1>night features a little of what looks like dawn and

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<v Speaker 1>dusk on the horizon. As the saying goes, there's no

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<v Speaker 1>bad weather, only bad clothing. Now, I'll admit that I

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<v Speaker 1>find this idea challenging, but since writing that article, which

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<v Speaker 1>was called the Norwegian Secret to Enjoying a Long Winter,

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<v Speaker 1>I've tried to take some of my discoveries to heart.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm naturally cheap, but I decided to buy really good

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<v Speaker 1>winter running gear. In my polartech pants, windproof and water

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<v Speaker 1>resistant jacket, mittens and such, I can run outside on

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<v Speaker 1>a few more days than I would and I almost

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<v Speaker 1>always feel better running outside than I do on the treadmill.

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<v Speaker 1>I bought a long coat and high waterproof insulated boots,

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<v Speaker 1>which means I barely notice chomping through slush and snow

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<v Speaker 1>with this equipment to protect me. I set a goal

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<v Speaker 1>last year to get outside for at least twenty minutes

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<v Speaker 1>a day. Some days that happened in zero degree temperatures,

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<v Speaker 1>but I can count the days I missed on one hand.

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<v Speaker 1>I also made a winter fund list to give myself

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<v Speaker 1>things to look forward to. Now, I will admit that

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<v Speaker 1>some of this winter fun involved a skin winter. I

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<v Speaker 1>went to California and I went to Florida, and I

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<v Speaker 1>enjoyed both trips a lot. There's nothing quite like running

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<v Speaker 1>on the beach when you know the folks back home

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<v Speaker 1>are dealing with a polar vortex. But in general, I

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<v Speaker 1>do think it's possible to love winter, and part of

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<v Speaker 1>that is just telling yourself that you will love winter.

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<v Speaker 1>When someone complains about the snow, say something positive. Take

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<v Speaker 1>a look at the intricate icicles, or the fragile glow

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<v Speaker 1>of the sunset colors against bare trees. Beauty is all

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<v Speaker 1>around if we care to see it. It might be

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<v Speaker 1>a more demanding beauty than that of a June rose garden,

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<v Speaker 1>but it is beauty all the same. Do you love winter.

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<v Speaker 1>You can let me know at Before Breakfast podcast at

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<v Speaker 1>iHeartMedia dot com. In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks

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<v Speaker 1>for listening and here's to making the most of our time. Hey, everybody,

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<v Speaker 1>I'd love to hear from you. You can send me

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<v Speaker 1>your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just connect with

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<v Speaker 1>me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast pod.

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<v Speaker 1>That's b E the number four then Breakfast pod. You

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<v Speaker 1>can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast podcast

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<v Speaker 1>at iHeartMedia dot com. That Before Breakfast is spelled out

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<v Speaker 1>with all the letters. Thanks so much. Should I look

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<v Speaker 1>forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a production

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<v Speaker 1>of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app,

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<v Speaker 1>Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.