5 Ways to Find Joy in the Winter

Sometimes it can feel as though finding joy in our everyday lives is easier in the summer. With the long, warm days, and the prevalence of vacations, it often feels as though joy comes to you in the summer without you needing to go look for it. Everything can feel easier when the sun shines day after day and when you can wear flip flops all the time, can’t it?

In the winter, when the days are shorter and colder, finding daily joys can feel like a bit more of a challenge. Even in Northern California, where we never have snow, winter can be very gray and rainy. After even a few days of rain, I can feel myself feeling kind of bummed.

So what can we do to find joy around us in the winter? Here are some ideas that I’ve honed over the years:

Enjoy the coziness that the winter months encourage. Even nature rests in the winter. Why don’t we take our cues from nature and hunker down a bit? Grab a warm blanket and hop on the couch with a good book or a favorite series.

When the sun does come out, enjoy it. Stop and notice a beautiful blue sky. Watch the birds fly across the winter sky. Stop and notice the formation of a flock flying overhead. It only takes a few seconds, but noticing the beauty can make a difference in how you approach what you do next. If it is snowing, stop and enjoy it. We tend to do this during the first snowfall, but by the tenth, we feel over it. What if this would be the last time you saw the snow? Or what if it was your first? Watching my son witness snow for the first time this winter was so magical. It’s like he couldn’t believe it was real. What if we treated snow and rain like this— with the wonder we felt the first time we saw it? Watch a toddler react to the rain and snow for some examples of what this looks like. Put your boots on and jump in a puddle. Or watch the snow hit your gloves and really look at the pattern in a snowflake.

Enjoy a daily tea or coffee ritual. Slow down and enjoy your hot beverage. Put it in a beautiful mug and appreciate the warmth it brings you. What do you notice when you’re not multitasking but instead enjoying this piping hot beverage? Maybe make yourself hot chocolate (complete with marshmallows) and be fully present for each sip of it.

Invest in a Happy Light. I have seen this small natural spectrum light therapy light make a difference for me this winter. When the grey skies become too much, I just turn on this light and somehow the bright sunny light makes me feel like I can make it through the winter.

Make lists of things you’re grateful for. Keeping a gratitude journal helps me to see how much joy is already around me, even on days that feel hard. Once you start looking for it, you’ll see how much joy is already around you. And it helps you to appreciate it more. Winter or summer.

Many of these ideas will help regardless of the season. Winter can be a great time to hone our joy-finding muscles. And, if all else fails, we can pin our hopes on the Groundhog!