1 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning. 2 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:16,400 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:20,200 Speaker 1: tip is about convincing yourself to get outside for a bit, 4 00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:25,200 Speaker 1: even if the weather is lousy. Going for a winter 5 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:28,040 Speaker 1: walk might not be as pleasant as a summer stroll, 6 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:31,280 Speaker 1: but it can be an energizing part of your day 7 00:00:32,120 --> 00:00:35,920 Speaker 1: if you plan ahead a little bit. So one of 8 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:38,279 Speaker 1: my favorite ways to take a break is to go 9 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:40,960 Speaker 1: walk around my neighborhood in the woods near my house. 10 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:45,200 Speaker 1: I love to see how the landscape changes with the seasons. 11 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:51,320 Speaker 1: Fresh air and sunshine can feel wonderful. Of course, during 12 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:53,559 Speaker 1: many months of the year the sun doesn't seem to 13 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:57,560 Speaker 1: be warming much of anything. We've had snow a big 14 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:01,319 Speaker 1: chunk of the winter already, and the week I recorded this, 15 00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:08,120 Speaker 1: my weather app was warning about loaves of ten, five, eight, 16 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:12,040 Speaker 1: and seven degrees fahrenheit for a few days in a row. 17 00:01:13,160 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 1: Then we would hit a balmy low of fifteen for 18 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:20,560 Speaker 1: a few days. Lucky us anyway. Winter can be rough, 19 00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:25,840 Speaker 1: but fresh air is still invigorating. Physical activity still boosts 20 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:30,920 Speaker 1: people's mood and energy. That doesn't change just because it 21 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:34,880 Speaker 1: is winter, and since the sun tends to set early 22 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 1: in winter, getting outside during the day becomes even more important, 23 00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:45,280 Speaker 1: So consider this episode to be a commercial for taking 24 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 1: a winter walk. If you are working at home, just 25 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:52,160 Speaker 1: choose a spot on your schedule when you will need 26 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:58,559 Speaker 1: a break and bundle up, coat, boots, hat, gloves, et cetera. 27 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:01,720 Speaker 1: If you're only going outside for ten minutes or so, 28 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:05,200 Speaker 1: you will survive even if it is frigid. If you 29 00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:07,800 Speaker 1: are at work, this might be a little more complicated, 30 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:10,560 Speaker 1: but let me just say that perhaps winter is not 31 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:14,640 Speaker 1: the right season for strappy heels and dresses. On a 32 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:18,080 Speaker 1: cold day, when you are wearing pants and maybe boots 33 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:21,000 Speaker 1: or something like that, just make sure you have got 34 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:24,480 Speaker 1: your coat and put a hat and a pair of 35 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:27,760 Speaker 1: gloves in your bag or store them in your desk drawer. 36 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:34,280 Speaker 1: Bundle up, go outside and see what you see, because 37 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:39,840 Speaker 1: winter can still be beautiful. It is perhaps a harsher 38 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:43,520 Speaker 1: and more demanding beauty than a June rose garden, but 39 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:48,840 Speaker 1: it is beautiful. Nonetheless. I enjoy seeing snow on the 40 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:52,720 Speaker 1: bare branches and how the winter sky looks, especially as 41 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:56,520 Speaker 1: the sun is setting in the afternoon. You might look 42 00:02:56,560 --> 00:02:59,360 Speaker 1: for ice patches on any water or how the green 43 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:02,920 Speaker 1: moss looks against a backdrop of everything else being gray 44 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:07,920 Speaker 1: and brown. And of course winter doesn't last forever, so 45 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:10,200 Speaker 1: as it starts turning into spring, you will see the 46 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 1: first evidence of the world coming back to life. You 47 00:03:15,639 --> 00:03:20,639 Speaker 1: will probably return to your desk feeling more energetic, even 48 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:22,880 Speaker 1: if you were tired before. The cold air might be 49 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:25,760 Speaker 1: bracing enough to wake you up without you resorting to 50 00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:29,040 Speaker 1: more coffee and doughnuts. Even if you don't manage to 51 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:31,640 Speaker 1: make it to the gym, you'll get a few steps in. 52 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:36,520 Speaker 1: Maybe you'll solve a problem you hadn't before. I know 53 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:41,080 Speaker 1: that walks always give me ideas, so go take one, 54 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:46,400 Speaker 1: even if the weather isn't great. You will probably feel 55 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:51,200 Speaker 1: better afterwards. But if not, you've only wasted a few minutes. 56 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:57,720 Speaker 1: It's hard to see the downside in the meantime. This 57 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:02,200 Speaker 1: is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making the 58 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:12,400 Speaker 1: most of our time. Thanks for listening to Before Breakfast. 59 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:16,720 Speaker 1: If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback, you can reach 60 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:26,440 Speaker 1: me at Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. Before Breakfast 61 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:30,760 Speaker 1: is a production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts from iHeartMedia, 62 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:34,839 Speaker 1: please visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you 63 00:04:34,920 --> 00:04:36,160 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows.