Daniel Wolfram
Here are some tips from expert and author, Kari Leibowitz, on how to make the upcoming winter a cozy one.
Winter is fast approaching. While autumn is nearing the end of the first month, so is the drop in temperature.
Likewise, the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer.
But it does not have to be all dark and sad. Here are some tips from an expert on how to survive the coming dark months.
A natural slowdown
The shift into colder months brings changes to our environment. Daylight diminishes significantly between solstices, yet adults still expect to maintain identical energy levels and social targets in the winter.
Psychology expert Kari Leibowitz, author of How to Winter, cautions against rushing to self-diagnose seasonal depression. According to The Guardian, she notes that true clinical issues have strict boundaries.
“SAD is a subtype of clinical depression, and diagnosis relies on meeting the criteria for this,” she explains.
Instead of fighting fatigue, people should listen to their bodies. Taking time to rest, cook, and slow down is simply a natural reaction to diminished sunlight.
Low-key gatherings
Socializing does not require late nights out in freezing rain. Simple plans like inviting friends over to watch a movie or sharing a warm stew offer connection without draining energy reserves.
Staying indoors can also become a deliberate comfort rather than isolation. Intent makes every difference.
Leibowitz emphasizes that perspective shapes our experience. “There’s a big difference between ‘I don’t feel like socializing so I’m staying home feeling depressed’ and ‘I don’t feel like socializing so I’m staying at home and making myself a nice dinner and watching a show that I love and feeling cozy’. If you don’t feel like going out, be indulgent about staying in.”
Rewriting bad weather
Dark skies and rain forecasts frequently convince people to write off entire days before stepping outside. Mobile apps worsen this mindset by displaying storm symbols even when rain lasts only minutes.
Leibowitz suggests looking for unique seasonal details, like golden light cutting through morning fog or a bird resting on a windowsill.
Focusing on small perks retrains how we view the winter months. “Attention is a muscle and if we get used to opening the curtains every morning and noticing what we don’t like, that becomes our default, but we can rewrite some of those scripts in our heads,” she says.
