Our 14-year-old woke up on Monday morning, lukewarm about school because his schedule said it was a "Blue" day. This meant French class and no recess, which only happens on "Gold" days. As I empathized with him because I was lukewarm about my work day too, I shared the strategy I often use to make undesirable tasks more fun: I pair them with something I do enjoy. I've been using this strategy since college when I'd pair studying (a most dreadful task) with sitting in my favorite coffee shop...drinking coffee out of extra-large mugs.
These days, I pair grocery shopping with music, less daylight with more Christmas lights, and cold nights with the world's ugliest hugglefleece hoodie, which I've named "Cozy Town."
If you're struggling through January, as most of us living in New England do, here are some activities you could try pairing with the cold, grey weather:
ICE SKATING
SLEDDING
Riverside Golf Course in Portland
BEACH WALKS
SWING DANCE LESSONS
The Portland Swing Project - I'm in the middle of a 7-week, beginning Lindy Hop series that I'm taking with my mom (it was her idea) and my friend, Becca. The classes are really fun, super laid back, and you don't need to know a thing about dancing to sign up! The instructors are awesome and make everyone feel comfortable. I highly recommend it if you're looking for an indoor activity that gets you moving.
I'll leave you with one last idea that wasn't mine, but I'm still happy to share it. Friends of ours made an outdoor fire on a recent cold, sunny day and sat around it reading books. There is nothing like an outdoor fire. Add vitamin D and quiet reading time, that's a brilliant plan.
After our Monday morning pep talk, my son decided to bring a pack of gum to school and spend his day thinking about the chocolate chip cookies and Ted Lasso we were planning to watch later that night. I packed myself an extra thermos of coffee for the car ride to school and off we went. In the end, we both had good Mondays. Maybe it was the pairing with something good, or maybe it was the mindset shift to make the most of any given day because perspective is everything. I hope you find fun outdoor activities, cozy hoodies, and good coffee this winter.
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