Tuesday, February 24, 2015

How to stay 'cool' during the deep freeze.

It can be pretty easy to get bummed out about this chilly, winter weather. Living in Minnesota has taught me a lot about how to deal with winter weather and stay as upbeat as possible. Last winter (and now again) was absolutely brutal. We can't change the winter weather but we can keep our thoughts positive! Here a few tips I've learned to stay positive during the winter months.

Source
1. Dress Warm
It's beyond just wearing layers, it's starting to think strategically about how you dress. I know that when my feet get cold, I won't be a happy camper - so sometimes I wear an extra pair of socks or pull out my SmartWool. When I'm going to work, I throw my office shoes in my bag and wear my warm, comfy snow boots in my car and into the office. I currently have three types of gloves in bag right now - nice leather gloves, cheap stretchy gloves and the mittens I wore skiing. Leggings make great, warmer tights - you can even find fleece lined. It gives me options depending on where I'm going. Since where I live, cold weather is a given, I took to investing in pieces that keep me very warm and still look stylish. However, when it gets dangerously cold and they start making it a top headline, fashion matters anymore. Bundle up! Everyone is too cold to notice what you wear outside anyway.

2. Have confidence
You are totally capable of handling the cold. When you go outside - don't even think about how cold it is. Act confident and like you've definitely handled worse. Try not to tense up before you even step outside or the cold will hit you right away. Try to focus on other non-weather related things at first and if you start to feel the cold think to yourself "It's not that bad" and suddenly you won't notice how cold you are. It's almost like a meditative practice. It can take some practice, but once you've dealt with enough cold days, you'll get the hang of it.

3. Plan something fun for yourself everyday
Make warmer plans - maybe just schedule something for the summer or book a trip to warmer place. In the meantime, focus on what you can do to make each day great.Are you getting happy hour with a friend, or brunch? Are you dreading to make it to whatever trendy, hard to find parking local you're going. Invite them to your place instead. Get a group of friends together for a game night or watch the Oscars together. You don't have to leave your house and your friends will appreciate the company. You could also crank up your exercise - try a new fitness class. Doesn't hot yoga sound amazing right now?

4. Remember,  people from colder climates get cold too.
Just because someone grew up on the border of Canada, doesn't mean they don't get cold in the winter. The difference, they have experience that builds their confidence. Their blood isn't any different than yours. Just believe you can handle the cold and you will.

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

How to be a good co-worker

I've been thinking a lot lately about work and work with others. I work with a few co-workers but I have many partners I work with outside the organization. Sometime it can be draining to work with some many people. I've been focusing on the positives lately and I've noticed a few things that have changed how I work with others that has made a world of difference in my outlook at work. I also appreciate these things when others practice them with me!



1. Before asking a question or asking someone to complete a task, ask yourself if you can find the answer or complete the task yourself quicker. If the answer is yes, do it yourself.

2. Before making a task more efficient or cutting corners to save time, ask yourself if this means that someone else will need to work harder. If the answer is yes, take the time to complete the task correctly.

3. Treat everyone with kindness. Remember that everyone is fighting some sort of battle and give them the benefit of the doubt. It's easier to move on than it is to harbor any ill feelings.


Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Night Glow

This weekend, we went to the Hot Air Affair in Hudson, WI to see the night light of hot air balloons. I have never seen a hot air ballon up close before. They are much bigger than I ever imagined. Watching them get inflated was pretty cool. It's quite surprising how close you can stand to them (you can pretty much be right next to them). They would even let any one volunteer for the crew if you wanted to help out. It was such a cool experience to see so many lit up. Made for a great evening. Aren't they pretty? Maybe next time, I'll get to ride in one. Here's to dreaming!




Sunday, February 8, 2015

Up North Weekend

Last weekend, we headed to great Up North of Minnesota to Lutsen for some skiing. It was a pretty chilly weekend for skiing, but it was still a blast. A perfect weekend trip.

Northern Minnesota is absolutely gorgeous! It is so picturesque, especially in the winter. We rented a cabin on Lake Superior and it was beautiful. As for skiing, I have zero photos because it was too cold to take my hands out of my mittens. I don't own a GoPro and that's probably for the best, because the footage would be quite embarrassing.

Here's a pretty image of the lake:

A few things I learned this weekend: 

1. Skiing is fun, but take it easy

Prior to this weekend, I had only skied twice in my life and it was probably 10 years ago. When they say skiing is like riding a bike, I don't think I had quite the experience to just pick it up again. My first time down the hill, I fell pretty hard. So, I spent most of the day on the bunny hill and I still had an absolute blast. I'm glad I took it easy and gained some confidence. Don't let your more experienced friends pressure you, life is just as good on the kiddy slopes. And a lot more safe!!

1a. Rent the helmet. Just do it!

2. There is more than skiing (or snowboarding)

I tried to make the weekend as much about relaxing as anything else. I brought a book, some games, and snacks. I did my research and found a great place for breakfast. For me, it was more fun to make it a great weekend than just about the slopes. After one day of skiing, I took the next day off and I think I made the whole trip more enjoyable. Maybe one day, I'll be more into skiing, but for now, I just want to keep it fun.

All in all, it was a fun weekend! I'm glad I went and I'm excited to go skiing again sometime. Definitely don't want to wait another 10 years!