Learning to Love Winter

I am one of those people who is always cold.  I LOVE summer because it is when I am the most warm.  Spring and autumn are not too bad, but every fall I absolutely dread winter coming.  I live in Utah where it is winter/cold roughly five months of the year.....that's almost half.  "Why not move somewhere warmer?" you may ask.  Almost all of my family lives here--my parents, sisters, children, grandchildren and friends.  I love our home, our neighborhood and our location, so does my husband.  So this is where we live......but I still always dread winter.  "Dress warmer", you may suggest.  I DO dress warmer.  I wear long underwear in the winter, long sleeves, thick socks, scarves, sweaters and boots.  I still feel cold because the air is cold. 

This fall I got tired of being miserable.  I decided I was going to stop dreading winter.  I was going to find a way to love winter.  There had to be a way.  As the first cold blasts of air started rolling in around the end of October I started looking for what was good about it.  The first thing I noticed was that I was looking forward to drinking hot chocolate.  I love hot chocolate!  Later as I drank my first steaming cup of the season I realized that if it was warm all the time I would never drink hot chocolate.  It's definitely a winter drink. 

As the weather turned colder I got out my heated blanket, my pink fuzzy robe and my thick fuzzy socks.  Then I realized that if I lived where it is hot all the time I would never get the satisfaction of snuggling under a heated blanket and feeling my cold toes warm up.  I would never get to wear my soft fuzzy robe or my thick, soft fuzzy socks.  They definitely feel luxurious and warm.

As November, December and January passed I began to notice other things: the way hot soup tastes going down my throat and warming me from the inside out, the comfort of snuggling under heavy warm blankets, the way a hot bath feels when you soak in the tub (especially with the lights off and a few candles lit), how calming it is to stare into the flames of a fireplace, how beautiful the snow looks.  (Christmas just wouldn't be the same without snow.....and being cold).  I love the way fresh snow glistens in the sun, and the way snow can transform the landscape into a breathtaking winter wonderland.  I realized that I even like the exercise of shoveling snow, and especially how rewarding it looks once it is all piled up around the cleaned off driveway and sidewalks.  I like the way the house feels all warm inside, a fragrant winter candle burning while watching the birds pecking around outside the window.  It feels cozy and safe.  It's a winter feeling.

In the end (to my amusement) what I realized is that what has really been happening all these years is that I have focused on what I do not like, and noticed it, instead of focusing on what I do like, and appreciating it.  Since I have started appreciating winter this year, it has been much more enjoyable! 

Then it hit me: This wonderfully simple idea can be applied to anything unpleasant - a job you don't like, a commute that is difficult, a chaotic household or a too-quiet household, being married, being single, having kids, not having kids....whatever your circumstance.  Look for what you like about your situation. Then keep looking.  You might be amazed by what you find.