Embrace the changes the snowy weather brings

Happy holidays. I wish you all the best this season. I hope you enjoy spending time with friends and family. It is such a great time of year to spend time with the ones you love.  

It definitely feels as though winter is upon us with all the snow that has been accumulating the past few days. It makes everything look so clean, sparkly and beautiful. It also makes as work harder to keep the driveway clear and your normal outside walks may have switched to indoors. Don’t fret about the snow, embrace it.

Sometimes I have negative thoughts about winter. It is too cold out, it is slippery on the roads and hard to get around and do my normal summer activities outside. Then I snap out of it and think about how wonderful snow really is. Snow forces us to do new activities. Shovel the driveway, think a little bit more about taking our time and slowing down to walk on potentially, slick surfaces, change from trail running to snowshoeing. Do not resist the snow. Try to think positive. Try embracing these new activities.  

This year, I really want to work on improving my downhill skiing. I want to feel more confident, ski faster, try harder runs and just have fun on the slopes. If all I did was complain about snow, I would never get out there and practice. Not this year because I chose to try. Try harder than I have in years past. I am going to fall on my butt a few times. Their will definitely be a yard sale of all my gear on the slope and then I will laugh my head off, and wipe off the snow. People might laugh at me but I want to get better and the only way to improve a new skill is to practice, fall down and try again a different way. Determination goes a long way.

Besides downhill skiing, there are so many other activities available to us. Cross country ski trails, snowshoe up a mountain with friends, build a snowman with your family, go sledding, snow ball fight, shovel your driveway or a neighbor’s that might need help and above all have fun with whatever winter activity you do. With so many snowy activities to do in the community the real question is which one are you going to try this year or try to improve going into 2016?

Liz Whalen is a personal trainer and health fitness specialist who lives and works in Libby. She also blogs at lizwhalenhfs.com