As a transplant from North Carolina, I found the dreary, “wintry” days of Michigan especially hard to bear. To combat these cold and somber days, I did these six things.
- Work-out. The best way to kick winter’s butt is to kick your own. So I decided to get those endorphins working and commit to the gym a few times a week. For me, putting focus into my exercises feels great and really boosts my energy in tackling my week, especially when there’s somber weather outside.
- Go outside when it’s sunny. “Seize the day,” as they say. Sunny days in the winter/early spring in Detroit are limited, so I made sure I caught some rays any time I had the chance. For example, I would take walks on the Riverwalk or nap outside on my lunch hour.
Marche du Nain Rouge Parade 2016
- Do at least one fun thing per work week. I found it especially helpful to do something relaxing or fun at least once during the work week. For instance, my roommate and I would go to a popular new restaurant (and cut the weekend wait time in half), take a long walk in the city, or catch a show to relax during weekdays.
Chris Johnstone and I on the way to Centaur to play pool!
- Touch more puppies. Self-explanatory. Plus, they are warm.
I couldn’t resist Gaby Santiago Romero’s puppy at Eastern Market
- Do something you’ve always wanted to do. Being indoors sucked sometimes during the winter, so I decided to take up French and to read more often. I also made myself a bucket list of all the places in Detroit I wanted to visit and made sure I was as efficient as possible in knocking them off.
One of my bucket list items was seeing a Broadway show at Fisher Theatre, so I managed to get tickets to If/Then
- Call your parents/friends/support systems. Call all your besties and feel reassured that you are loved and appreciated.
With great friends and new experiences, surviving the Detroit winter is a breeze. What do you do to maintain motivation during the winter months?