Winter…it’s all in your attitude.

Okay, so as I was running today on this -18 windchill winter day.  First of all I was very happy, second of all, I got to thinking how so many people these days talk about how much they dread and hate winter!  I know, probably most of you are reading this right now and going “Yeah, so??”

Hating or loving winter is all about your attitude.  Believe it or not, I also used to hate winter, but then when I had children, and saw the joy they got out of it, I decided to change my attitude and learn to embrace it.  Now, I love it and enjoy it when it’s here.  It makes life happier when you embrace it rather than dread it and just wait for it to be over!  Why would you choose to wish away 4 months of every year of your life?

One reason so many people hate it so much is because they complain about how cold they are.  My answer to that, “Then dress appropriately for it!!”  We live in Canada and here we are blessed with 4 different seasons and I would never want to live anywhere else!  I look at people walking around in their light winter coats, with no hat or gloves on, and fashionable (but not warm) “winter” boots.  Part of your attitude change should be to go out and invest in proper winter gear for the 4 seasons you live in.  Find stuff that you love and feel good wearing.

When I am running at the lakefront and I pass by other walkers or runners, you know what?, they are dressed for it, and we greet each with a smile and a “Hi!”.  A tip, find an activity you could enjoy doing outside in the winter.  For those of us who have, the winter months are something to look forward to.  You don’t see snow boarders, skiers, walkers and runners out there not dressed appropriately because they have embraced it.  Once you are prepared for it, it is invigorating and wonderful to breath in that fresh winter air rather than the stale indoor air we breath for months on end.

One thing I like to do is to think about how children are dressed to go out and play in the snow, then adapt this to yourself.  Also, think about how happy kids are when they are playing in the snow; they aren’t thinking about how cold it is outside, they are just having fun moving around and enjoying themselves.

On a sunny, cold winter day to run and look at the sun glistening off the water while the cold air meets the warmer water and there is steam rising!  Man, there’s nothing like the beauty of that in my eyes.

I am going to say this again, because I think maybe some of you think I’m a few trees short of a forest for saying so, but not only have I embraced winter, but I look forward to it!  I made a conscious choice to change my attitude and I truly enjoy the beauty of every season.

Join me in finding the beauty in winter…..it is sooooo worth it!  

 

 

Positive attitude, Open mind, Moving forward

Getting off to a new start this year can be both inspiring and challenging.   The thought of change for some people is too much and they stop right there and never get going on their new ideas simply because  they are overwhelmed with the idea of change.  Before they even really try, many people just give up.

This year, try tackling tasks with a new and improved attitude.  A positive attitude can be the one thing you change that will make things work this time!  Trust me, it’s never too late to try something new.  Whether it’s a new exercise program or an organization project in your home.  This new attitude could impact your life in such a way you’ll wonder why it took you so long to try it in the first place!

Let’s first think about areas in your life that need to change for the well-being of everyone!  Your hoarding, your inactivity or lack of exercise,  your time spent online, t.v. watching, shopping or eating? These are problems I hear about every day and things people seem to have difficulty changing.   Your first step is to identify it as a problem.   If you can’t do this you’re not ready to move past this step.  However, if this isn’t an issue for you,  you’re ready to get help and ideas of how to tackle this issue.

From here you need to figure out if it is an issue you can handle on your own, or if you need to confide in someone in order to help yourself. If you need to seek help, now is the time. Make a call, go online, find the help you need today. Putting it off will not help you! Dealing with it today will get the ball rolling and you’ll be glad you made the effort to change in a way you have not been able to in the past.

I am a great believer in seeking out new, more efficient,  better ways to do things and believe we should all keep an open mind and realize and accept when things aren’t being done right.  Change is change, but it doesn’t have to be negative.  You truly can teach an old dog new tricks!!😄😄

Be open, be positive,  and let’s start this new year with a new inspired attitude.

Your first Simply Susan tip for 2016!  Smile on my friends😆