Today Is All We Have
My first experience in "actual" winter. So far I can cope. Ask me again in April.
I will need tips from my Canadian and European friends on how to go the long haul with my sanity in tact and my relationship still viable.
For today, life is good. As I look at the window I see some blue.....and it makes me happy.
I am posting a video from a channel called Green Renaissance. I love the channel and find it calming and centering. I hope you enjoy.
The shortened hours of light are tough for me. It helps if I get outdoors as much as possible. Time in nature helps.
ReplyDeleteGreat advice. I'm trying to figure out how to best to do that right now.
DeleteYes, winter can be very trying! If you're not used to winter driving, you may want to find a course on it, if possible. That's my recommendation!
ReplyDeleteWinter driving course found and signed up for! Excellent.
DeleteI think it is a particularly tough winter this year in the Pacific Northwest. If you are managing, then you are doing. quite well. The light will return soon as the planet rolls towards spring. I'm so glad you are doing well there.
ReplyDeleteI guess it has been earlier and a little harder but I have nothing to compare that to.
DeleteDoing well has become a choice.
Winter can be a challenge especially if there is snow on the ground. It didn't snow that often when we lived there but when it did, drivers don't handle it well. I used to dread driving over the bridges on the way to work. The Freemont bridge was the worst but snow doesn't last very long. The shorter hours of light wasn't an issue for me or Shari but you will get used to it and it goes by fast.
ReplyDeleteA light at the end of the tunnel :)
DeleteI love that channel!
ReplyDeleteFrom a practical perspective, I would say to have some basics in the cupboards so that if it does get snowy/icy, you won't have to go out to get supplies. It could be better now, but like Bill said, when we lived there, it was not handled well. Usually it was just a day or two that was a problem.
Also, wool--LOL--it will probably feel cold until you get more used to winter and I love my wool to keep myself cozy. If you don't like wool, alpaca is good, too :-)
From a mental health perspective, my difficult time is spring and summer when I experience largely the same things as what people describe experiencing in winter. I do not sleep well so spend months dragging myself through the days, have a sort of background hum of agitation going on because of the long hours of daylight, particularly when it is sunny, tend to suffer from bouts of depression, and am quite uncomfortable when the temps approach 60, never mind any warmer. I am better at dealing with these things now. For what it's worth, and understanding that everyone has their own experiences and ways of dealing with them, I can say that the first step for me was taking a long hard look at what I was feeling and then accepting that this is the way it is for me for at least half the year. I am not going to change the physical responses I have to summer. So I tried doing what I have heard Thich Nhat Hanh talk about, saying things like, 'Hello agitation, I know you're there.' Basically it all came down to acceptance and reminding myself over and over that it is impermanent. It will end and I would not have the joy of the winter darkness and chill without having walked through the difficult part of the year first. This allowed me to notice moments of ease and calm in the midst of summer.
I know that you'll find ways to adapt positively to winter, even if it never becomes your favourite season! :-D
Acceptance seems to be the answer to most life's little bumps or high peaks, doesn't it? I'm working on it.
DeleteThank you Shari.
I never minded winters when I grew up on Lake Erie and had 150 inches a year. Wind and bone chillin' cold like minus something. But when living in the PNW I couldn't deal with the lack of sun during winter there. I never found anything to help. They say the hats with the light on the visor helps your body think there is sun and therefore does not make you depressed or unhappy. They are made for this exact situation. I was going to do that but then I got a transfer back east. And the first thing I said was, "OMG it's not going to be sunny like this week every day is it?" LOL. My advice is try it all if inclined and see what you end up finding that makes you not dread the winter season. I think when spring comes you will forget winter and be so damn overjoyed with sun, shorts, green, birds singing, then summer, then fall. You've never had them. We all have a favorite, but it takes time. I've moved many many times in my life and it takes 2 years to feel like home. Each time for ME. You'll see. Now tell me this shit will you please cuz I hate where I live right now. :-)
ReplyDeleteI remember you saying that before. I am looking forward to feeling at home again.
DeleteWhat a lovely video! Thanks for introducing me to this channel :)
ReplyDeleteWelcome to life in winter. If you don't skate, ski or snowshoe, it can get old! The main thing is to keep warm. Wool or good polar fleece/down. Lands End is wonderful. Good boots, a warm coat, lots of books and keep the fridge stocked and you'll be fine. Mittens are warmer than gloves but gloves are more flex, so have both. Keep a blanket and some chocolate bars or other non-perishable food that doesn't freeze or require a can opener in the car in case you get stuck. And a good flasher light or flare. Better to have it and never use it than not have it at all. If you get stuck in snow, kitty litter under the wheels can help. Keep your phone and computer charged and don't forget your phone if you go out in the car. Keep the road service number in your car in case you need it. Buy flowers at the market. They're a reminder that one day you will see them growing again in the yard or the park. And keep us posted! You can do this.
ReplyDeleteYou are a dear💗
ReplyDeleteRemember that the sun rises every day, even on the days it does not (seem to) shine. And we need sunlight, our hormone balance needs it. So go outside every day unless there's a blizzard, and if only for a few minutes around the block or up and down the driveway.
ReplyDeleteAlso: hot water bottles.