For a long time, I treated winter like something I needed to beat.
Keep the same schedule. Maintain the same energy. Exercise the same amount. Stay productive. Stay social. Stay positive. Basically, pretend January in Wisconsin was no different than June.
It did not work.
I deal with Seasonal Affective Disorder, and winter changes me. My energy changes. My motivation changes. I want more sleep, more quiet, more time at home and approximately seventeen fewer obligations.
I used to see that as a problem.
Now I see it as information.
Part of learning to live more seasonally has been accepting that Winter Katy needs different things than Summer Katy. That doesn’t mean I throw my hands up sometime around Thanksgiving and reappear when the tulips do. It means I pay more attention to what helps me feel good during a season that genuinely affects me.
So these aren’t seven ways to defeat winter.
They’re seven things that make winter easier for me.
1. Lighten Up (Literally)
If we can’t have the real sun, let’s fake it ‘til we make it. A light box has become one of the tools I reach for when the days get ridiculously short. I use mine while I work, read, or scroll Pinterest for more home renovation ideas I’ll one day convince my partner to tackle (ahem, look Dale). For me, it’s one small way to get some bright light into mornings when Wisconsin seems determined to remain dark forever.
2. Move Your Body, Even If It’s Just to the Fridge
I know, I know. Exercise is supposedly the cure for everything. But I’m not suggesting you sign up for a 6am bootcamp class while it’s snowing. Just move. Dance in your kitchen, take the dog for a walk (or maybe you’re one of those people who run for fun), or even have a solo dance party to 90s jams in your living room.
Movement gets the endorphins going, and as Elle Woods famously said, “Endorphins make you happy.” And while I won’t go full Legally Blonde on you, I know I feel better when I move my body regularly, especially during the months when my natural inclination is to become one with the couch.ms of seasonal affective disorder.
3. Embrace Hygge, aka the Art of Being Cozy AF
If we’re stuck in winter, we might as well make it cozy, right? Think: blankets, hot cocoa, and candles that smell like you’re living in a forest cabin. Hygge (pronounced hoo-gah, not ‘huggy,’ though that’s also appropriate) is the Danish way of turning cold, dark months into a full-on cozy fest. So grab your fluffiest socks and snuggle into a good book, your favorite Netflix show, or your dog (bonus points if it’s all three).
Warning: May lead to an overwhelming urge to redecorate your living space in 50 shades of neutral.
4. Check In on Your Mindset (Yes, Even Now)
I used to think the answer to feeling shitty in winter was to convince myself not to feel shitty.
Very effective strategy, as you can imagine.
Now I try to pay attention instead. Am I tired? Lonely? Restless? Have I been inside for three straight days? Am I expecting myself to have July energy when it’s January in Wisconsin?
Sometimes just naming what I’m feeling helps me figure out what I actually need. Maybe it’s a walk. Maybe it’s plans with a friend. Maybe it’s canceling plans with a friend. Maybe it’s going to bed at 8:30 without turning it into evidence that I’ve somehow given up on life.
This is less about having a positive mindset and more about believing what my body is telling me.
Bonus Tip: Swearing in your journal remains completely acceptable. No one’s fucking grading this.
5. Vitamin D: More Than Just a Supplement
Winter means a whole lot less sunshine, especially if you live somewhere where the sun basically clocks out sometime in November and doesn’t return to full-time employment until April.
Vitamin D is something I pay attention to during the winter months, but this is also one of those areas where more isn’t automatically better. If you’re wondering whether your levels might be low, talk to your healthcare provider about whether testing or supplementation makes sense for you.
And if supplements do become part of your routine, put them somewhere you’ll actually remember them. Mine need to be next to something I encounter every single day or they may as well not exist.
Coffee. It’s coffee.
Obviously.
6. Socialize, Even When You Don’t Feel Like It
It’s tempting to hole up and play hermit during the winter months, but trust me: some human interaction can do wonders. Schedule a coffee date with a friend (even if it’s virtual), go out for a walk with someone who makes you laugh, or join a group activity where you can share your collective misery about the weather. Connection is key, even when Netflix and a blanket seem like the only answer.
Note: No one said your social interaction couldn’t happen in your favorite cozy socks.
7. Plan Something to Look Forward To
I can’t say enough about this one. Having something on the calendar, whether it’s a weekend getaway or a night out with friends, gives you something to focus on other than the fact that it’s pitch dark at 5pm. Even something small—like planning a spring garden or starting a new creative project—can give you a glimmer of hope. It’s all about tricking your brain into thinking the world won’t always be this cold and gloomy.
Bonus: If your plan involves travel, please take me with you. I can fit in a suitcase. I promise to bring snacks.
Maybe Winter Isn’t the Problem
The biggest thing I’ve changed isn’t my light box, my walking routine or how many candles I own.
It’s my expectation that I should feel exactly the same all year.
I don’t.
Winter asks something different of me.
Less output. More rest. More deliberate connection. More daylight when I can get it. More attention to my energy instead of constantly being pissed off that I don’t have more of it.
That’s become a much bigger part of how I think about seasonal living.
I’m not trying to become Winter Katy’s biggest cheerleader. She can still be kind of a pain in the ass.
But I’m also not spending four months trying to turn her into Summer Katy anymore.
And weirdly, that has made winter a whole lot easier.
