Cloudy days, sharp winds, icy streets, and cold temperatures are just some of the conditions that New Yorkers and folks in the Midwest and Northeast deal with during the winter. Oh, and of course, short days when the sun is setting by 5pm. It’s not really the ideal weather to be outside enjoying nature and soaking up the sun.
It’s days like these that contribute to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), low vitamin D counts (which causes a range of health issues), and lethargy – just to name a few maladies. AND if you’re battling snow storms, that’s a whole new challenge tacked on to winter’s seemingly cruelty.
Now that I’m in my 30s and have spent enough time noticing my own behavioral and life patterns – I’ve consciously braced myself for the challenges that winter presents. I tend to find myself feeling exhausted with the weather and conditions somewhere around the end of February into March, so I’ve still got some time before it all fully hits me, but I’m doing what I can now to prepare myself.
When it’s the dead of winter in NYC, I’m challenging myself to engage a little more:
To continue the gym routine, because actually – it’s crowded during the winter, which is a reminder that other people are staying motivated to move their bodies and consider their health. Plus, how else can you achieve “beach body” goals if you don’t give yourself time in the winter to get right? Vanity aside, winter is when you’re more prone to sickness and poor health, so consistently going to the gym is a great habit that will truly benefit you.
To explore places that are usually crowded during the summer and tourist-heavy seasons. Don’t get it twisted, tourists are always about in NYC, but you have a higher chance of exploring places without swarms of people. PLUS, depending on where you go – you can have better city / skyline views because the trees are bare. You can see more buildings and architecture, and take some cool photos.
To seek beauty indoors. As a nature-loving girl, I’m all about just going outside and reveling in the wonders around me, but during the winter, there aren’t flowers or pretty foliage to admire. I tend to visit museums more during the winter. I feel pulled toward observing the art of others and being enchanted by visions that I wouldn’t have thought to create.
The photos I shared above come from walking around DUMBO, Brooklyn, and my visit to The Met Cloisters in Washington Heights, NYC (which is really lovely to visit in the Fall, btw). My snowy header image features a train station at Prospect Park in Brooklyn.
So tell me, how are winters around your neck of the woods? Share with me in the comments!
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