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FEATURED ARTICLES           Wednesday, September 08, 2010                                Email to a Friend

Tips on How to Stay Upbeat During the Winter Season

Lucy Paz

Trekking mountain-climber style as gusts of howling winds pierce all uncovered skin. Permanent salt stains, frost bitten body parts and snow piles that make you re-consider that anticipated night on the town. Without a doubt our Canadian winters can be quite the bummer. Lucky for our readers, in this most depressing (statistically proven) month of the year I have devised a list of tips that may save those glum souls whose positive attitudes are dwindling in this hellish winter.

1. In these Artic-like Temperatures, keep your body warm.
With your teeth clattering, your limbs numb and the overall sense of discomfort that comes with constantly being cold how can one not spiral down the well of gloominess? My suggestion to you is not to drastically turn up the temperature in your home, causing the energy bill to skyrocket, but to indulge in simple activities that can keep your body delightfully toasty. Place a thick blanket or a massive hoodie in the dryer for a few minutes before wrapping yourself in its warmth, make hot drinks (hot chocolate, tea or coffee) a stable in your diet, or place your daily body moisturizer for 10 seconds in the microwave for a deliciously warming experience.

2. Embrace this Winter Wonderland and all it has to Offer.
You don’t have to be a pro snowboarder, cross-country or downhill skier to take advantage of the low temperatures and constant snowfalls. Though resorts such as Blue Mountain, Horseshow Valley and Mount Tremblant offer fabulous sites and services for avid ski and snowboarders, for those of us who are somewhat skeptical of activities that involve plunging down a slippery mountain a 100 miles an hour, where the chances of breaking a limb are uncomfortably high, there are, thankfully, other options. Taking advantage of this winter wonderland can involve bundling up in your warmest winter gear and tobogganing the afternoon away, ice skating with friends or a loved one in Nathan Philips Square, embracing your inner child by participating in fort building and snow fights, or simply taking a stroll with your ipod in freshly fallen snow.

3. Take Advantage of Your Time Spent Indoors.
Slippery roads, snowed in vehicles, and below zero temperatures got you hibernating? It’s easy to feel claustrophobic, restless, and depressed when the weather outside forces you to put yourself under house arrests, but this pitfall can be avoided by viewing your forced hibernation as an opportunity to engage in a little indoor fun. Invite some friends over to your pad for a movie and homemade popcorn, a game of monopoly, strip poker, or a twister competition. You are sure to get a few laughs, create memorable moments and save some coin in the processs. Even if a dreadful snowstorm forces you to stay on lockdown all by your lonesome, there are still a variety of options you can utilize. Read that book you have been meaning to get around to, taking a relaxing bubble bath with candles, oils, the whole nine yards, and my personal favorite, blast your favorite tune and dance around in your skives like its going out of style.

4. If all Else Fails, Plan for the Summer.
So there is no way to get around it. You hate the winter and all that comes with it. For those of you in this sticky situation, there is still hope. Planning for the summer can help you see the light at the end of the tunnel. By this, I don’t mean scouring the classifieds or attending career centers and summer jobs fairs in the hopes of attaining a summer job that will most likely force you to stay indoors. I mean planning, in advance, a little weekend getaway. Your holiday, which should allow you to bask in the sunshine and all its glory, could be a weekend camping trip, a few days at an owned or rented cottage, or even a handful of lazy days spent at a private or public pool. In my experience, these fun-filled little getaways usually never happen because they are not planned properly in advance. However, with this dreadful weather you have all the preparation time you need, a little strategy to keep your sanity and positive attitude till springtime.

So there you have it folks, a simple, yet effective list you can turn to when the winter blues got you down. Maybe by this time of the year you have already come up with your own personal effective strategies for dealing with this harsh winter. Nevertheless, what ever coping mechanism you decide to utilize, it may be comforting to remember that there are three other enjoyable seasons in the year and apart from those lucky enough to jet off to warm destinations for respite, we are all enduring the winter blues together.

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