I hate the cold weather. Where did fall go? We had like 3 weeks of lovely cool autumn temperatures. Here in Kansas it seriously went from 60s to 20s in a week. Now instead of light sweaters and boots I’m bundled up in thick socks, heavy sweaters, coats, hats, scarves and gloves.
I miss fall. I loved opening all my windows, letting the breeze waft through my home. I love the smell of sunshine and leaves. So to beat these winter blues and just “blah-ness” I use these 5 cold weather mood boosters. They are my go-to and I use all of them almost daily!
I received compensation and product for this post. All opinions are my own.
1.) Wood Stove
Now that we have these arctic winds my windows are shut tight. My family, my dog, and I are all in this house, constantly. We have Home Heating Stoves such a wood burning stove and the smell of the hickory is one of my favorites! It is one of the few redeeming things about this cold weather. I love feeding the stove, watching the embers burn, listening to the crackles.
I have to go outside and haul wood inside – this activity is surprisingly one of my favorites. (Do NOT tell my husband. I love it when he does it more). As much as I despise the cold, there is something so satisfying about the exercise I get from the walking, carrying and moving wood inside.
2) Music
Music, like the one taught on https://ncmac.net/, is a way I turn my mood around. If I cannot shake my gloominess, I turn on some happy instrumental music. As I write this post, I have bluegrass on in the background. When I was alone in my car this morning after dropping the children off at school, I belted out the Christmas tunes (Baby It’s Cold Outside was so relevant!). Music forces my thoughts to change, the fog in my brain to clear.
3) Smells
Smells help too. Heat and smells. Like when I make a hot cup of coffee – I always choose a flavored coffee because I adore how it smells as it brews! The heat and smells of my woodturning stove. And the heat and light and smells of my favorite scented candles. It’s as though if my house smells better (#SmellsClean) I am more motivated to clean it and make it look better too. I love buying candles online and always use Cora Candles to find the best ones.
Some of my favorite scents are coffee-themed: mocha, espresso, and pumpkin spice. I also LOVE the Christmas scented ones – with warm tones of cinnamon, fir, and sugar.
4.) Food
Lucy is my little helper in the kitchen! She loves baking up goodies from scratch with me! Filling my house with the warmth of the stove and the smells from the oven is pure happiness! And there are few things as pleasurable as biting into a hot chocolate chip cookies, when the chocolate chips are still gooey and almost burn your tongue.
5) Moving around, dance breaks!
Just moving around is a huge mood booster. It’s so funny to me how when I am tired, and overwhelmed, all I want to do is snuggle in my bed and bing watch my favorite TV shows, how the last thing I want to do is move, but the best way to shake that feeling is to get up and get my heart pumping! I’ve found sites like Daily Burn that help me stay active without having to leave my house. Then there is always a dance list on Spotify and I dance like no one is watching! Or on particularly busy blog days I force myself to take breaks from the computer and run in place, dance to one song and do a few body-weight exercises (like squats, lunges and push ups). I even dreamed of joining adult dance class like the ones from DivaDance.
How are you beating the winter blues? What changes your mood and keeps you happy and knocking out your to-do list?
Those are all great idea. I would add shopping to the list 🙂
I love me some hot chocolate too! Wish we had a cozy fire!
These are so true. I love the smell of a good bonfire as well as a wood stove. Wish bonfires were everyday things.
I agree with all of these. I think smells are a big mood booster for sure.
It is already so cold in Wisconsin. Below zero temps at night BURRR!!! Good tips – winter is long when the weather is so cold!
Fantastic advice. Lots of great ways to relax and have fun
All of these are fantastic! I usually have a hot bubble bath with candles to try to help me! I’ll try some of these too!
Food is my go to mood booster in the winter, and I don’t mean junk. I love making hot meals with the crock pot. Yum!
Exercise is definitely on my list, as are scented candles. I have candles for all season, but really break them out when it’s cold!
I always love food and a good bonfire! I always find all of these things to be great mood boosters!
so easy to get bogged down when the weather turns dark and cold. I love having scented candles around, they really can change my mood.
There’s nothing like a warm, toasty fire in the winter time. It’s so snuggly.
I would love to have a wood stove. I love the smell of burning wood. It always reminds me of camping.
Those suggestions are soooo right. Plus a cup of chocolate and warm pillow and I’m good.
Turning music up and dancing around my kitchen is something I used to do often, but have found myself sitting more and more in front of my laptop… I need to start dancing more. It really does change your mood. You can’t feel bad when you’re dancing! 🙂 Great tips!
I hate to be ‘that girl’… But living in Vegas, we don’t have to worry so much. Although, as I’m typing, my heater just kicked in and I’m positive it’s warmer here than most places… I am such a wimp! 😉
Love this post! I definitely turn to a sweet treat to boost my mood!
I am lighting my fireplace and a lot of candles. There’s just something about that warm glow. We’re drinking warm teas and coffees with delicious creamers, and I love, love, love She & Him. Sweaters and warm socks are a must. I felt warm just reading your post.
These are all great suggestions. My girlfriends and I always hang out around the bonfire after work on Saturday nights. It is nice to have a little girl time while enjoying the cooler weather.
I love to bake when it’s cold. Cookies are my favorite go-to!
Music is always a great mood booster. Of course, I love cookies!
I am so happy to be from Florida. If it does get cold – it only lasts for a few days.
i sleep my butt off! I cease every chance to sleep if I am stuck at home in cold weather
It helps to beat the winter blues by buying new winter clothes. Just by freshing up the wardrobe you have new incentives to get up and get going! lol This includes updated hats, gloves and scarves!
I love those ideas! I alraady do the smell tip!