Cover picture courtesy of Micaela Rae Photography. 

I think everyone in the U.S.A right now can agree that it is cold.

Snow in Texas and Florida and Georgia. Michigan temps are below zero which puts the real feel temperature even colder.

It’s just cold.

I am not the biggest fan of winter.

I love snow. Because I like to ski. And I ADORE a white Christmas. A Michigan white Christmas is one of the greatest things ever. For my family and me, we experienced a blizzard on Christmas morning! And it was lovely.

But I hate the cold. I hate my five-minute walk into the music building on campus from the parking lot. My hand’s freeze (even with mittens on), my butt is cold, and my boogers freeze on the inside of my nose. I know, that’s really gross but it’s a real problem when temps are below zero.

Cold temperatures like this just make me sad. Because it’s just too darn cold to be outside. Any length of time outside right now is just asking for frostbite. Which means I’m stuck inside.

Anyone who knows me, knows I LOVE being outside. The wind in my hair, the sun on my face, and the lovely Michigan air in my lungs just makes me feel wonderful. During the summer, I work at a children’s zoo on the grounds team so I’m outside breathing in the summer air (and sweating a lot, let’s be honest) 9 hours a day. And even when I’m not working, I’m hammocking, finding new places to explore, camping with my boyfriend and his family, or spending time at my childhood cabin on the lake.

Being outside is important to me and because of the 6 months of the year where it’s too cold to be outside, my mood is different.

I am naturally a pretty happy person. I like to be positive. I like to smile and laugh and make other people smile and laugh. But during the winter, I have to work a little harder to keep up that happy front.

It isn’t that I’m sad or upset or anything. It’s just that I’m craving the summer air on my skin and the sun on my cheeks. Being cooped up just makes me feel like I am stuck in one place until it’s warm enough to move.

I can’t be the only person who feels this way! “Winter blues” affects 10 to 20 percent of people! It’s real!

When I feel myself getting down because I can’t be outside, I have a couple go-to’s; things that cheer me up instantly.

Claire’s Winter Blues Treatments:

1. MORE NATURAL LIGHT — I have a room in my house that is only windows. When I feel cooped up and craving the outdoors, I wrap myself in a blanket and go sit out there and just watch the world from my little igloo. Cheers me right up.
2. WALKING OUTSIDE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE — for me, it’s walking across campus. Instead of taking the inside route, I walk outside. I probably wouldn’t walk outside if it was in the negatives, but when it’s the warmer side of winter, even the cold air on my cheeks feels better.
3. SPEND MORE TIME IN GODS WORD — being an adult means I’m busy, busy, busy all the time. Sometimes I push my God time to the back burner when I really just need to dive in. Opening up my Bible in the morning and starting my day off with Jesus really boosts my mood and sets me up for a great day.
4. EXERCISE — grabbing my best friends and dragging them to the gym (or in some cases, they have to drag me) usually results in a happier Claire. Or hitting up a free yoga class with my mom. What a wonderful endorphin-inducing experience!

And most of all, I just need to be patient! We can endure ANYTHING for five months, right? RIGHT!

Plus there’s supposed to be a heat wave coming next week. Yay 30 degree weather!