I live in New England, and there is a joke which goes, “if you don’t like the weather, wait a minute, and it will change.” It is true; our climate is volatile at times. It is like a pendulum swinging wildly from freezing temperatures in the morning to high 90’s later in the day. Then sometimes we have long stretches of unending weather (clouds, cold, rain, snow) for weeks on end. It can be challenging both physically and emotionally. Even worse, it is frustrating just trying to figure out what to wear!

Winter Was Not My Friend

Over the past few years though, the weather has really started to bother me. Our summers are super short, and if we have a rainy/cold spring, our window of beautiful weather becomes very narrow.

Everywhere you go, you hear people complaining about our weather; it’s too hot, too much snow, it’s been raining too long, it’s too cold, and so on. Constant exposure to all this negative talk starts to get under your skin and makes you feel really awful.

It got so bad that I started dreading winter in September, actually ruining my fall. Then by the time winter finally arrived, I felt trapped and didn’t want to go anywhere or do anything. This routine did nothing good for my moods. I spent most of the winter full of anxiety and depression, hating the natural beauty of our region and afraid to leave the house.

Obsessed With Weather

As a culture, we New Englanders check our weather apps furiously throughout the day. We are obsessed with news of the next big storm or dread seeing that all-too-familiar “pattern” of too much of the same weather. We stay in a perpetual state of low-level panic all winter, and it feeds upon itself. Our weather is the most discussed topic around here amongst everyone.

Then finally spring comes, and if it rains a lot (eight straight weeks this year) with cold temperatures (40-60) clouds and no sun, we start to feel angry and resentful and then depressed. Don’t we deserve a beautiful spring and some sun after our long, cold winter?

Like a Child Again

For the past year and a half, I have been working hard to change my patterns of behavior and expand my spiritual connection to God/Universe. By doing so, this past winter was an incredible gift!

I felt like a child again, utterly delighted by the snowfall. I absorbed myself in the beauty of the sparkling snow at night while I had fun snow blowing. The stark landscaped offered me comfort instead of desolation. I embraced the cold and ENJOYED it. I would step outside to get a bit chilly before returning to my cozy house, electric blanket and hot cocoa. It allowed me to “see it for what it was” and enjoy the contrasts of the season.

Loving Every Season

I never felt a sense of wanting it to hurry up or be over; I just allowed it be. When I heard others complaining, I tuned it out and continued to enjoy this lovely gift of a season with all the trimmings. I went for walks, had dinner with friends and I didn’t feel the need to “hunker down” or stay inside. I embraced winter comforts, like warm baths, hot chocolate, blankets, Christmas decorations and all the things which make winter lovely.  I lived my normal life and spent a good amount of time outdoors, despite the ice, cold and snow.

I never even checked my weather apps, I just let the storms and cold come and go without trying to control anything or impact how they made me feel, and I felt great all winter!

We can get a lot of snow here in New Hampshire, but even the clean-up was effortless, and by using my vision statements, I never experienced any lingering muscle soreness or injuries. It is truly transformative being so aligned with weather instead of fighting it. I am allowing it to be a beautiful gift instead, for me to open and reopen all year long. The seasons will come and go no matter what we do, so why not love each one and enjoy all that they offer. So even though I didn’t change the weather, I did change how I feel about it and that makes all the difference to my quality of life.

Another Wonderful Benefit From Living a More Spiritual Life

I am so grateful for this opportunity to expand my awareness to something other than my old, broken patterns.  To open myself up to something so life-changing and helpful with day-to-day living is an incredible experience!