How I Winter

It’s cold in London this week. The clocks have changed. It’s dark by 4pm and I’m thinking about winter. In mid-November the gloom still has a certain charm that will fade by March but for now the change in the weather invites introspection, relaxation, and blanket forts.

I grew up in a family that embraced coziness and romanticism like a competitive sport. I remember winter evenings as a young child in our candle-lit living room in St. Louis, all of us sitting on the perfectly ’70s avocado-green carpet, lounging on oversized pillows beside a crackling fire, eating cassoulet from long-handled stoneware soup bowls and listening to a much-loved LP of Andrés Segovia as my parents drank cider or red wine.

This week, I’ve been revisiting some of my childhood cozy-making tactics. I’ve captured them here for my future reference.

Get weird, get cozy

• Be gentle with yourself and others
• Expect to be less productive
• Don’t work so hard, try to finish working when the sun goes down, or at least take a long break around sunset
• Turn inward, with friends
• Be quiet
• Be loud sometimes (with friends)
• Listen to relaxing music
• Spend extra time thinking & staring into space
• Dim the lights in the evening (I like my Philips Hue White Ambience bulbs)
• Surround yourself with plenty of pillows & soft things
• Meditate (every day, of course, but especially in winter. Remember: it’s a form of housekeeping)
• Spend lots of time generally hanging out on a yoga mat
• Do yoga with plenty of shavansana
• Find crafty low-stress projects to do (like writing)
• Get outside every day for daylight and exercise in nature
• Take Weird Walks
• Go to bed early
• Get up early (enjoy the morning)
• Drink some caffeine (I like green tea, early in the day, not too much, enjoy the ritual)
• Eat more cake (seriously, a little sugar around 4pm this time is wonderful. Enjoy the ritual and do it with a friend)
• Read good books
• Keep a tidy house (It’s your cocoon; and again, enjoy the ritual)
• Do some chanting with friends
• Turn the heat on (and off when you’re not in the room)
• Invest in insulation:
  • for your house
  • for your body (I have a real “soft spot” for cashmere 😉)
• Surround yourself with friends (all year, actually)

I’ll still be miserable by March but these things help a lot. What have I missed? How do you winter? Tell me!

For a more scientific read, check out Kari Leibowitz’s How to Winter.

Additions from friends

Since publishing this piece and sharing on LinkedIn I’ve received some great additions from friends and colleagues:

My organisational learning mentor Kathleen Paris says “I like to work on 1000-piece puzzles when it’s cold and snowy.”

The wonderful Ian Harvey suggests:

1. “Go to the seaside. The coast is amazing in winter.”
2. “Eat food that stays warm as you eat, such as soups and stew.”
3. “Drink darker beers.”

He adds “I like winter. Oddly.” (Secretly, I confess I do as well!)

Lisa Reimers suggests “getting the paintbrushes out”.

What else should I add?

It’s lovely watching people reflect on their own lists. Let me know what’s on yours!