Surviving Winter

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Winter is well and truly here. In fact, Winter not only arrived in Perth but it kicked down my front door and set up camp throughout my house - which is now, without being dramatic, the coldest place on Earth. I like to get snuggled up in front of the heater as much as the next person. Being a ginger and having an allergy to sunlight, I probably enjoy it more than the average person. However, even for me those cold Winter mornings can start to feel a little...well...bloody draining after a while. Just to let you know how bad things have gotten, the other day I found a patch of sun on my lounge room floor and had to fight my dog for a place in the luke warm rays, we ended up sharing it (he is more stubborn than the average dog) and both lay there thawing out for a solid thirty minutes. 

As we are literally mid way through the coldest season I thought I would share with you nine ways I have been surviving Winter - don't worry laying on your floor in a patch of sun didn't make the list. 

1) Grab a Hot Drink 

One of my favourite things about Winter is that I can splurge on hot drinks without feeling any guilt - it's survival 101, heating myself up from the inside out. I don't drink coffee but in Winter there is nothing I love more than grabbing a hot chocolate whenever I have to leave the house. The promise of a hot drink excites me so much that I will happily brave the cold and the rain for a marshmellow ridden beverage. Find your drink of choice and make sure you grab one whenever you're valiant enough to go outside. 

2) Wrap up in your Woollies 

I live in Australia and here in the Southern Hemisphere we're not really set up for cold Winters. Our houses aren't heated (which often results in us hurridly buying heaters on the first day of Winter and all hovering around them for the next 3 months) and most of our clothes are geared towards the Summer. One of the best things Autumn Sam did for Winter Sam was buying some nice woolly clothes. It's always nicer going outside in Winter when you're snuggled up in some warm, cosy, clothes, instead of freezing your bum off! If you buy clothes that you love and that excite you, you may even look forward to putting them on and getting out there in the cold and wet... don't count on it, but you might. 

3) Make the most of being at Home 

If you're anything like me, when the sun is shining spending the day in your PJs watching Netflix can feel like a waste. Even though in my antisocial soul I am at my absolute happiest when I'm pantless watching Harry Potter (not in a creepy, weird, fetish way). Winter is an amazing excuse to spend a day indoors ploughing your way through a new book, TV or film series. Add a pizza to the mix and I'm in heaven.  

4) Treat yourself to some Creature Comforts 

My home is very important to me. Much to my boyfriends dismay I spend most of our money on homewares (or "shit we don't need", as he calls it). Making sure your home is somewhere you want to be is key if you're going to be spending most of your time there. Invest in some scented candles, splurge on your favourite flowers, and buy that print you wanted for your wall. When my home looks beautiful there is nowhere I'd rather be. 

5) Catch up with Friends 

I'm a solitary creature at the best of times, my phone is on do not disturb more often than I would like to admit, but making an effort to catch up with friends throughout Winter will boost your mood and leave you feeling good. Lately I have been enjoying night time catch ups with friends at my favourite coffee shops. Since I don't drink coffee and there is only so much hot chocolate I can drink I usually have a green tea to unwind before bed. Coffee shops are a nice place to keep warm and enjoy the Winter weather whilst having a laugh with a friend. 

6) Get a Hobby 

There are so many hobbies I have shoved in the 'I wish I could but I don't have time' basket. Learning Spanish, playing the piano, baking, writing, painting, the list goes on. Spending most of my time in the house throughout Winter I have found myself looking around for something to do. Instead of wasting time doing college work or tidying (ain't no one got time for that) I have found myself digging into the 'I don't have time' basket and trying my hand at some new things. This blog, in fact, was born of Winter boredom. 

7) Stay Healthy 

During the Winter months it can be tempting to revert back to your non existant animal roots and stuff your face in preparation for hibernation - but you're not a bear. Making sure you eat well and exercise throughout Winter will keep you feeling physically and mentally healthy. 

8) Have a Bath 

There is nothing that warms you to your bones like a nice hot bath. Add in a LUSH bath bomb, a couple of candles and a good book and I'll gladly spend my Winter looking like a old prune. If you don't have a bath you could try having a shower, or borrow a friends bath... wait that's weird, don't do that... just have a shower.  

9) Invest in a Dressing Gown

At the risk of sounding elderly, HAVE YOU TRIED DRESSING GOWNS? They're amazing and probably the best kept secret in the world. My boyfriend bought me a leopard print dressing gown a few years ago and I hung it on the back of my bathroom door and forgot all about it. Fast forward to a blustery Monday morning a few weeks ago when I climbed out of the shower and the water on my body literally froze, that's an extreme exaggeration but it was freezing! Looking desperately around for any source of warmth I grabbed the dressing gown and slung it over me and in that moment my life changed. I am actually sat writing this wearing said gown. It's gotten so bad that my boyfriend has threatened to burn it if I don't start wearing human clothes again. If you haven't gotten your hands on one of these Life Savers yet make sure you get one. 

I hope this list helps you survive Winter. Leave me a comment below if you have any suggestions of things you like to survive the cold season. 

Until next time, 

Keep smiling, 

Love Sam x