Recently I was thinking about cheery winter things. Not big deal things like vacations to the Caribbean or new cars, but all the tiny things that I adore no matter how terrible the weather is outside. Even on a Monday in February.
This thought came after a long string of miserable cold days, where every day felt the same and I was dragging myself around with my to-do list. I was grumpy, defeated, and allowing the weather to influence my attitude. Have you been there before? Me too. I long for more resiliency when those days come. I recognize it's perfectly okay to feel like that, but I don't want to stay there.
When I am emotionally stuck, I'm learning when I take one step to change the channel in my head, I always feel better. Sometimes I simply need reminding of the things that support me well. As an attempt to cheer myself up and a fun experiment, I came up with 50 cheery winter things I was enjoying right now. Not big deal things, but teeny tiny things that were life-giving right now. It gave me a lot of joy simply making my list. But don't take my word for it. Why not make your own?
My 50 Cheery Winter Things
Not revolutionary or earth-shattering -- just cheery.
1. Homemade soup in a crockpot.
2. New cookbooks from the library.
3. Visiting a local garden greenhouse - just to walk in warmth and beauty.
4. Lunch dates with friends.
5. Painting my toenails red.
6. Taking 5 minutes to declutter a space.
7. Extra care for hands and feet with lovely smelling lotion.
8. Candles that smell like spring.
9. Forcing flowers to bloom indoors.
10. Slippers.
11. Movie-watching nights with my husband.
12. NHL Hockey - Carolina Hurricanes!
13. Planning a date night to discover a new restaurant.
14. A cool carafe of water on my desk to remind me to drink more water.
15. Wearing a super-bright scarf on dreary days.
16. Filling my birdfeeder and watching who shows up.
17. One furry blanket on my bed (that I don't have to share).
18. Checking in on friends and neighbors to see what's new.
19. Texting something funny to a friend.
20. Handwritten notes to family and friends.
21. Good dark chocolate.
22. My secret fun snacks drawer.
23. Cinnamon tea on a cold day.
24. New writing journals.
25. Church on Sunday - virtual and real.
26. Naps when I need them.
27. Trying out a new recipe.
28. Taking my car through the car wash.
29. Houseplants.
30. Going to bed early to read a good book.
31. Fantastic smelling hand soap.
32. Afternoon coffee.
33. Grocery store sushi.
34. Hot shower after a good workout.
35. An unexpected warm, winter day.
36. Bright-colored lipstick (even on a Monday).
37. Cheesy puns.
38. Running into people you haven't seen in a long time.
39. Gas fireplaces to have a fire anytime with the flick of a switch.
40. A great night's sleep.
41. Phone calls from family.
42. Looking through old photo albums.
43. Telling hilarious stories.
44. A clean kitchen.
45. Going to bed early.
46. Waking up early.
47. Fried egg sandwiches.
48. The first cup of coffee of the day.
49. An extra five minutes in bed with gratitude.
50. Saturday mornings with no weekend plans.
What about You? What would be on your list?
Let's face it, winter can be a difficult season. But there can be beauty too. What are all the little things that support you well this winter? My invitation is to take a moment to remember the lovely things that give you life no matter the weather.