I think most of us can relate to struggling to get through bone-chilling, cold, New England winters. With temperatures reaching the negatives nearly every day in the months of January and February, most of us find ourselves stuck indoors. As someone who finds a lot of happiness in being outside, soaking up the sunshine, being trapped inside can feel apathetic and boring.
The Mount Greylock library’s mission was to inspire people who found themselves bored or unmotivated during the winter. They decided to create a bulletin board hoping to reach people who may walk by and need a new hobby or interest to pursue in the winter months. They titled the bulletin board “Beating the Winter Blues”, thinking that it fit with their goal of inspiring people to start a new hobby or do a fun activity to feel joy and happiness in the winter.
The board showcased four different categories of things to do in the winter, starting with hobbies you can engage in indoors. The hobbies they recommended students to start were scrapbooking, reading, baking, joining a school club, crocheting, starting a puzzle, and lastly, painting. These hobbies are simple, require minimal experience to start and are easy to find joy in. They don’t require elaborate materials or large amounts of space or time. They are fun activities that anybody can enjoy in winter.
The next topic the library staff wanted to inspire people to do was journaling. They explained that journaling reduces stress, helps keep your thoughts organized, helps you achieve your goals, and can help with emotional regulation. Journaling is a great way to get all of your thoughts and emotions out and can also help if you are wanting to release stress and negative emotions.
In the winter it is hard to be motivated to exercise, but the library recommends you find fun outdoor sports to enjoy or find ways to exercise indoors. They gave examples of going on walks, going snowshoeing, doing yoga, going ice skating, and going skiing. These are all simple and easy ways to get your body up and moving when it’s cold outside.
Lastly they recommend that you brave the elements and go outside, even if it’s just for a few minutes. They recommend making a snow angel, making a snowmen, and cross country skiing. These activities can give you small amounts of joy that you need during the month of February. If you are ever feeling like winter will never end try to start a hobby, journal, exercise, or go outside.
