My Love-Hate Relationship with Winter

Anyone else live in a location where they experience winter and wonder why they still live here? I used to HATE winter and while I’m still not it’s biggest fan, I’ve grown to appreciate it. There’s something restorative about it. Life really slows down for me during the winter and sometimes that’s the part I hate. I miss being outside and more active. Other times, that’s exactly the part I love. What’s cozier than sharing a blanket on your couch with your dog or your husband (or both) with a fire crackling in the fireplace while snow falls outside? I also think waking up to a blanket of white with the bare tree branches lined in snow is really beautiful, especially if the sun is out and everything is sparkling.

My husband and I own Red Cedar Landscapes and that seems to keep us insanely busy from early March until Christmas. When the snow starts to fly, it’s usually a sign that a break is coming for us, allowing for more recess and quality time together. It’s a little easier to travel to get away or have a date night. We can give some attention to things that we had been ignoring due to the business requiring all of our attention. I normally deep clean the house and pack things up to donate. I open books that have been collecting dust all year and actually read them. I spend more time with family and friends.

This winter I’m being more intentional about slowing down and so far I’m loving it. I’m also trying to find more hobbies to do outside in the cold and potentially, the snow too. We signed up for a snowshoe tour in Traverse City over NYE and we didn’t have enough snow to snowshoe but we still hiked in the winter weather and had a blast. I’m hoping to try snowshoeing eventually as well as cross country skiing. I’m hoping to go sledding or snow tubing at least once this year with the inclusion of my nieces and nephews.

If you are someone that doesn’t normally embrace winter, I hope you’ll join me in trying different ways to find the beauty in this season. Our experiences are what we make of them and I intend to make the most out of mine.

Do you have any favorite ways to enjoy winter?

My name is Anna VanAgtmael, and I am a certified yoga instructor with a passion for yoga, travel, and connecting with others.

I believe in trying everything once. My values lie in collecting memories over things. Though we desire adventure and authentic experiences, naturally our fear holds us back.

My ambition is to inspire and encourage you to unmask your fears and jump into the unknown.

Anna VanAgtmael | Yoga Enthusiast | Travel Designer