MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:
If you are feeling fed up with winter - the icy weather, gray skies, short days, lack of sunlight - you're not alone. But, hey, spring is right around the corner. And other countries have to endure weather like this for much longer chunks of the year. So how do they do it? Are there lessons we can learn from our Nordic friends? Life Kit host Marielle Segarra looked into this for a recent episode. She is here with us now. Hey there.
MARIELLE SEGARRA, BYLINE: Hey.
KELLY: Are you feeling as done with winter as I am?
SEGARRA: (Laughter) You know, some days, yes. Absolutely. But I have found, this year, I'm actually enjoying it more because of this episode that we did. I talked to Kari Leibowitz. She wrote a book called "How To Winter," and she has a PhD in psychology. She's studied happiness in places that have long, dark, cold winters like the Nordic countries. And she said, you know, first of all, our mindsets really matter here. And research shows that. So question for you - do you love everything about the summer? Or are there things that annoy you about it?
KELLY: Humidity, mosquitoes, sunburn. (Laughter) I could go on, yeah.
SEGARRA: No, there are indignities to every season, right? And it's the same thing with winter. There are downsides, and then there are the delights. And we want to focus on the delights, right? The way the ice crunches when you walk on it, the very particular blue color of the winter sky at dusk or the chance to watch a fat little robin hop in the snow and eat berries, like I did this weekend.
KELLY: Aw. Or a roaring fire. I'm a big one for roaring fires. Although, you talk in this episode that we actually have to get outside, spend time in nature, even when it's really cold.
SEGARRA: Yes. And Kari says in the book there's this saying - there's no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes, right? So bundle up. Get yourself outside. This is also really good for your mental health. And consider reclaiming an activity that you love during the summer. You can still have that barbecue at the park.
KELLY: (Laughter).
SEGARRA: You can still go to the beach. You can still color on the sidewalks with chalk, as long as they're not iced over. Just get yourself a good coat, you know?
KELLY: Yeah, see, yeah, this is the advice I need. Buy more clothes (laughter). We'll get you through all the seasons.
SEGARRA: We have episodes for you on that, too.
KELLY: I love it. That is our Life Kit host Marielle Segarra. Thank you so much.
SEGARRA: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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