Minnesota. Land of 10,000 Lakes.
That are all currently frozen solid.
No swimming today!
Minnesota was my home for most of my adult life. And while most of the country probably thinks Minnesota and Wisconsin (and let’s just say the whole Midwest) don’t have a lot going on, I absolutely disagree.
Minnesota is an AMAZING PLACE. Seriously.
Sure, we occasionally (*cough* yearly) get unseasonal April blizzard.
But Minneapolis is an amazing city with a thriving theatre and improv scene, independent film creation, music scene (Prince, Bob Dylan, and Lizzo all hail from Minneapolis), a lot of huge corporations employing thousands (Target, 3M, Best Buy, Toro, Medtronic, General Mills, Pillsbury, etc), and, as a result, a pretty big advertising industry.
In the summer, there’s canoeing and swimming and paddle boarding on the lakes, and in the winter, there’s skiing and sauna culture and the Art Shanty projects and the Saint Paul Winter Carnival and curling clubs (you know, like in the Olympics).
And yes, also months of cold, dark, cabin fever and WAYYYYYY too much snow.
But we find ways to deal with those months.
Despite having very little daylight all winter, the Scandinavian countries tend to rank at the very top of the happiness index every year. So, just because it’s cold and dark outside doesn’t mean we have to let it infect our thoughts.
Here are ten tips for improving your mindset right now, no matter what the weather is like outside:
Eat better food.
Garbage in, garbage out. You might not CRAVE a salad for lunch, but giving your body the right food fuel is important. Studies have shown a connection between a healthy diet and a reduced risk of depression. So even if your body is only craving french fries and ice cream right now, there’s good evidence that giving into those cravings regularly is just going to make your brain fog and lethargy worse.
Sure, there are days when I break down and let myself have a couple of Toaster Strudels for breakfast, and that’s TOTALLY OKAY, but you know what? I don’t feel as good afterward as when I eat a mixed green salad with kidney beans and homemade ranch dressing. Limit the crap for a while, and note how you good you feel when you do.
Clean up your space.
A disordered home environment can be indicative of a disordered mind. Now, you don’t need to Marie Kondo everything and get rid of 80% of your belongings (according to the news this past week, even good ol’ Marie seems to have relaxed a bit), but starting by organizing one area of your house, or having an hour long cleaning spree, will definitely shake some cobwebs loose, figuratively and literally.
(Highly recommend Gretchen Rubin’s book Outer Order, Inner Calm)
Put it in perspective.
If something’s got you REALLY riled up, ask yourself what the worst outcome might be. If the worst outcome doesn’t leave you dead, maimed, in prison, or declaring bankruptcy, then maybe let it go.
Being grateful for having enough to eat, a roof over your head, and not living in a war torn country is a good way to get over small injustices blown out of proportion.
See people.
Yes, even you introverts! We’ve been VERY isolated for the past three years. This doesn’t mean you need to mingle at a cocktail party or attend social events that you don’t enjoy, but socializing is a basic human need.
Have you watched the show “Alone?” What defeats most of the contestants on that show is not the ferocity of the elements, but the sheer weight of being alone all the time. Make an effort. Reach out to people, and get out of your damn house.
Keep a list of wins.
This is a big one. If you are in a streak of things not going your way, sometimes it’s hard to believe they will ever go your way again.
When you’re feeling this way, borrow from the past:
When in your life did you have a win? Whether you booked an awesome voiceover four months ago, or won a spelling bee when you were ten, write that stuff down! I keep a jar of wins throughout the year. Anytime something amazing happens that makes me feel like I’m on top of the world (or even just at the top of a medium sized hill), I write it down.
When you are low, turn to your past wins, and don’t just read them. Time travel back to that place and time. See/hear/feel/smell if you can what that experience was like. Actually put yourself there and steep in it until you feel infused with the good vibes of winning. Go into your day with that energy.
Get outside.
Being outside in green space (even if that green is currently white) is correlated with improved cognition, mental health, and physical health as well. Even if it’s cold outside, you should bundle up and get out there. To see benefits, you need at least 120 minutes of nature time per week. That’s totally doable!
Back when the pandemic began, I used to go for walks that were 2+ hours long. I honestly miss having the time for that. I feel like it really helped my mood a lot.
Practice approaching things in a positive way.
The next time something goes wrong, ask yourself “What can I learn from this situation?” “What is the benefit of this not going the way that I’d hoped?” or “How can we make this negative thing fun and memorable?”
For example, 22 inches of snow over three days might seem like a pain in the ass, especially in April, but a few years ago when my roommates and I went through that, we prepared in advance by buying groceries, stocking up our bar, and spent the weekend hunkered down watching all of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies while I sat on our living room floor drinking Aperol spritzes and sawing PVC pipe to make a voiceover booth.
Another time, I had to go to work at the pizza place I used to work at when it was -55 windchill out. I bundled up, cleaned off my car, and went in, convinced no one would come out and we’d be slow. But I was pleasantly surprised when we were full up for most of the night, and my boss spent the evening playing songs with the word “hot” and/or “summer” in them, giggling cheekily to himself until people noticed.
Which leads to my next item…
Play some music!!!
Last week was a hot mess in my life. So many things went wrong, big and small, it was almost farcical. I had no energy. My roommate was in a similar funk.
So, inspired by a meme I saw, I put on some C&C Music Factory and danced around my kitchen to Pump Up The Jam. It was DELIGHTFUL. By the time I’d finished that song and MC Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This,” my kitchen was spotless, all the dishes were put away, and I had a lot more energy to tackle my day. The right music can make any day better.
Take a dip in the cold.
Still struggling to find the motivation to do any of the above things?
Well, there’s a reason people in cold, dark Scandinavian countries swear by saunas followed by either an ice bath or rolling in snow. Cold baths or showers can help increase endorphins, improve circulation, boost your immunity and your metabolism, and decrease inflammation.
Last week, in my completely unscientific trial of this, I finished my normal shower with about two minutes of ice cold. Afterward, despite having a really busy work day, I was able to be super productive both at work and with household stuff and auditions, and had energy and a positive mood the whole day. Purely anecdotal, but it really seemed to work!
Honestly, it’s not as bad as you think it’s going to be. And if the benefits are as good as this Healthline article says they are, then why would you not at least try it?
Get sunlight in the morning.
Not sleeping well at night? Skip the coffee in the morning, open your curtains, and get outside ASAP! Getting sunlight soon after waking is very important to help your body set its inner clock. Read more about the benefits of early sunlight here…they are many.
So, if I were to go by this, my ideal day for a great mindset would include:
Getting up in the morning and immediately opening my blinds,
Going for a 15 minute walk outside.
Taking a cold shower, while listening to an upbeat song.
Eating something mostly veggie-based that won’t make me sleepy for my first meal of the day.
Making sure that I have at least some contact with people, even though I work from home.
Picking up after myself as I go through my day, so that clutter isn’t building in my environment.
Reminding myself of the things I am grateful for, reframing frustrations, and looking for the positives in each negative situation.
Taking time at the end of my day to write down any wins I had that day or to review past wins to remind myself of the amazing opportunities I’ve had and will have again.
Alright. This is my blueprint. Shall we see if I can do it? I’m going to try, and I’ll report back if my motivation improves and my lethargy wanes a bit.
I’ve scattered links to articles about all of these things throughout this post, so if you want to read more about any of these things, most of them have references here beyond my personal anecdotes.
What works for you? Have you tried any of these methods for yourself? Share in the comments!
Ta ta for now!
Billie Jo