"Baby It's Cold Outside"

Thoughts for This Icy Morning

Motivation to Keep on Keeping On

I woke up this morning and came to the disappointing realization that winter weather is quickly approaching. I, for one, absolutely hate the cold. Walking to class on an icy morning chills me to the bone and my warm and cozy bed becomes more tempting then ever. Along with the cold comes a bit of seasonal depression. It's getting darker earlier. The sun doesn't shine quite as often. And there seems to be more and more reasons to stay in my warm little apartment and block out the world. While I was walking to Starbucks this morning a lot of thoughts crossed my mind. First came the debate (no, not the political debates that recently passed) but my personal dilemma: hot coffee or iced? I decided to take a walk on the wild side and stay true to my trenta iced coffee (at least for this morning) in the hope that when I get out of class at 11:30 it won't be nearly so freezing outside. My second thoughts revolved around this post and how I am going to manage to fight through the cold and motivate myself to keep on keeping on. 

One of my few encounters with the cold last year-

Last year I was lucky enough to avoid most of the winter season. Lucky probably isn't the best word to use here because the only reason I was not forced to endure the cold was because I was trapped in a treatment facility for the majority of last winter. However, I was spared the icy mornings, trekking through snow, and bundling up in an attempt to stay warm. I was cozily tucked inside a residential facility with little to no access to the ice, snow, and cold winds of the outside world. 

However, this winter I am a happily a part of this outside world but with this blessing comes the winter elements that I absolutely despise. How do we find motivation to keep on keeping on and continue to face the outside world when "baby it's [so damn] cold outside?" Well I am going to start us off with two affirmations this morning. No it won't keep us warm but maybe it will help us remember why it's worth it to continue on despite the winter chill.

Every moment of every day I am becoming more and more committed to living my life.

I am capable of enduring any negative elements that attempt to interfere in my achieving my desires and goals.

This is not us! We can and will commit-

Who would have thought that I would have been able to incorporate the themes of commitment and endurance into an entry about the winter weather? When thinking about qualities that would help me make it through this season and its freezing weather these two came to mind. Each day when I wake up to another icy morning I am going to remind myself of the commitment I have made to school, to friends, and to living my life. I am not going to allow unfavorable weather prevent me from remaining committed to my priorities. My ability to endure closely ties to commitment. I can endure any "negative elements," in this case the freezing temperatures. I am capable of facing the cold head on and continue to live my life the same, positive way that I have been. I will continue to schlep to my classes. I will maintain my friendships and trek out in the cold to sustain the social life and network that I have been working hard to create. And I will continue to pursue productivity, fulfillment, and happiness despite the bitter weather that makes me want to hold up in my warm apartment for the duration of the winter season. We can endure this icy weather and remain committed to the desires and goals that we actively pursued during warmer days. Yes, it is harder to become motivated and take when the weather outside is less than ideal. But if we repeat this affirmations and work our hardest to believe them than we can find the motivation to keep on keeping on no matter what mother nature throws our way. 

Finally I'd like to offer some more practical and useful tips to help you beat the cold as winter approaches:

• Invest in Warmth
• When buying winter clothing be an informed buyer and look at the tags to discover what the item is made of. Splurge and purchase items made of cashmere, wool, down, or fur. Yes, these natural materials carry a higher price tag but they will keep you far warmer then any synthetic bargain you can buy.
• Bundle Up



Bundle up like this smart guy!

• This is not the time to be body conscious. Put on as many layers as you can- longs sleeves, tights, sweaters, leg warmers, scarves, jackets. You may resemble a snow man but who cares! At least you'll be warm!
• Buy Big Boots
• It's time to put those fashionable ballet flats away. When it's this cold flats are just not practical. If your feet are warm the rest of your body is more likely to be warm in well. Purchase some flat, comfortable boots that you can wear every day. 
• Eat Warm Meals
• Make the time to prepare hot meals (or if your short for time like me rely on take-out.) Hot food in your tummy will bring you momentary warmth as well as help carry you through the rest of the day. Nothing beats hot macaroni and cheese or tomato soup after a long day schlepping around in the icy cold.

Nothing like macaroni and cheese to warm the body and soul!

• Indulge
• This tip is one that is difficult for me to act upon but during the winter I do my best to follow through with this advice. Indulge in yummy, high-calorie, protein packed food. Putting on a little extra weight (as long as it is healthy) is one of the best ways to fight the cold during the winter season. Fat is a natural insulator thus the more fat you have on your body the warmer you will be. I am not talking about binging or gaining weight in an unhealthy or irresponsible way. (G-d forbid I be offering damaging advice.) But take advantage of the fact that you won't be seen in a bathing suit for another 6 months or so and bulk up a bit! Upping your body fat percentile is a natural way to avoid that "cold to the bone" feeling that many anorexics or recovering anorexics, including myself, so often feel. 

So as I leave you this morning I'd just like to briefly touch upon what I believe are the most important points from this entry. Do not give into the cold and stop living your life or hold up in your warm apartment or house. Know that we can endure the elements and remain committed to living our lives and pursuing our goals no matter what tries to get in our way. Dress appropriately and eat hot and yummy meals to fill your body with that sense of warmth that is not attainable in any other way. And finally don't be afraid of bulking up or looking bigger than you actually are by wearing layers of clothes. Winter is not the season to be vain. You're better off dressing intelligently and feeling warm than looking like an idiot and being freezing by dressing in clothes that are not suited for this weather. As a final sign off I'd like to share an entertaining quote with you that I must say I agree with entirely!

"Winter is nature's way of saying 'Up yours."

- Robert Byrne

Stay warm friends because "baby it's cold outside,"

xo

Not looking forward to this scene on my campus-

PS: On the bright side winter does mean my favorite holiday is coming closer every single day! At least we have Christmas to look forward to!

My absolute favorite holiday movie, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

Baby It's Cold Outside, Dean Martin