Don’t Fight It: How To Cure the Winter Blues
Winter: Don’t fight it.
Living in fleece, counting seconds until spring? Same. It’s coming—it always does—and we can just feel the shift from shorter days getting started. Until the warm-up arrives in earnest, we can either keep trying to shake off the winter we’ve got, or submit a little and look for ways to fill in, rather than fight, these waning days.
1.
Outside, in.
If sub-40 temps aren’t your idea of fun, there are plenty of ways to be one with nature from a toasty distance. Museums and gardens with courtyard and greenhouse spaces offer an oasis right in the backyard of most major cities.
If a night sky is more your thing, try stargazing—from a comfy planetarium perch.
2.
Binge.
But make it next-level. We’re all for a good binge watch—after all, stories can transport us. But won’t it feel slightly more exciting with a theme behind your movies and your menu?
Binge-worthy combos:
Godfather I & II (you sure can skip III) or
Goodfellas or
Cinema Paradiso
+
No stirring needed with this in the slow cooker (more time to watch)
lighten up on the red pepper flakes if spice isn’t your thing
Amelie or
Charade or
Midnight in Paris
+
Feels-like-I’ve-been-cooking-for-days sheet pan take on a classic
The Trip to Spain or
Vicky Christina Barcelona or
Volver
+
Permission from Martha herself to forego the fancy pan with her muy facil paella
3.
Plan a great escape.
Why not use all this “permission to surf your couch” weather to go down the rabbit hole on your next vacay? If planning a getaway gives you extra verve, plan away—no matter how far off it is. And it need not be a solo effort—assign your travel sidekicks a day, a cultural outing, a meal or a shopping destination to suss out.
4.
Be an ant, not a grasshopper.
If you’re feeling ambitious, now’s the time to think ahead to that awaited closet changeover. Start with cleaning out things you never touched—and probably won’t before spring hits. What didn’t quite get the job done this winter or needs replacing? Though pre-shopping takes patience, you can score on sales and upgrade for next winter. And giving away usable things to someone in need is always 100% guaranteed to warm the soul.
