By Winter is still fighting to stay in Northern Michigan. Whoo… it is cold. As I write this, there are icicles the size of my arm hanging outside my office window. A constant reminder that this beast of a season is here to stay as long as it wants. Which, for those of us in the North, might mean June.
This is my third winter in NoMI, and my first at home with my husband and our little furry fam. It feels special and sweet for all of those reasons, and I’m really trying to cherish this time. We’ve been getting out into the snow for hikes since early December. It’s been cold and wet, but still such a fun way to get into the Great Outdoors during this frigid stretch.
My girlfriends and I had an accountability group all through the winter. We each picked a few goals (mine were reading a chapter a day, daily movement, and a daily meditation), and we checked in whenever we hit them. I really loved having that kind of supportive accountability, it felt gentle but motivating. And I was able to hit my goals most days. I ended 2025 on a high note of small-but-meaningful personal accomplishments. Sometimes the small things really are the big things.
My 2025 CSA subscription from our favorite local farm wrapped up for the season because snow and freezing temps, and I am very sad about it. I loved picking up a big box of organic veggies and fruit each week with my dog. Now it’s back to the grocery store until spring. If you have a CSA in your area, definitely consider joining, it’s such a wonderful way to support local farmers and to get creative in the kitchen.
In all honesty, this is one of the happiest winters I can remember. I usually get pretty terrible SAD this time of year, especially in Northern Michigan where the grey days feel endless and the cold is truly biting. Apparently the saying here is, “It’s not winter until the cold bites at your skin,” and O… does it ever.
I think a few things are contributing to this being my happiest winter yet:
• Supplements. I’m taking iron, zinc, and vitamin D to help support my energy and mood.
• Getting outside daily. Even if it’s just snow blowing or playing with my dog. Nature is such a grounding reminder of how small I am and how big the world is, something I oddly crave as someone who tends to live in my head.
• My relationship. I’m in the healthiest, happiest relationship of my life, and he loves nature as much as I do. We’re always doing something outdoors on the weekends.
• A mindset shift. Winter is no longer a season I simply endure. It’s become a time for inward reflection, journaling, hobbies, healthy habits, cleaning out the house, leveling up my life, and yes, plenty of rest. My husband and I are both nerds, so cozy nights of games, movies, and reading are top-tier winter joy.
• Routine. A daily schedule grounds me. I’ve worked remotely for years, and even if I don’t leave the house, I still workout, shower, get dressed, and throw on a little makeup before work. It helps me feel human. (Just with thermals under everything these days.)
One of my dear friends shared her daily mantra with me, and I keep it on a Post-It note on my desk. In case it helps you too, here it is:
All is well.
Everything is working out to my highest good.
The outcome of this experience is only good.
I am safe.
On another note, I am 33,000 words into the latest draft of my fantasy series, and… I think it is going pretty well. I burnt myself out by working on it throughout all of January/February (5-6 hours per day), and needed to reprioritize my time with it so the fun didn’t get sucked out of writing. I sometimes take an all-or-nothing approach to projects and need to be reminded of the virtue of balance. So I’m just getting back into the swing of things there, and it feels great. Writing is my safe space, and working on creative projects keeps me sane.
This winter, all in all, felt like a marathon of looking inward, addressing unhealthy habits and thought patterns, and remembering that the months of darkness are temporary. J. and I put an infrared sauna and home gym in our basement this past month, and with all the snow that NoMI brings, being able to run downstairs for a workout and sweat without leaving the house has been incredibly helpful.
That said, I could not be happier to see this season go and I wait with open arms for the warm weather to melt the snow, bring the green, and thaw the ice on the beaches… because in few short months I will be there in a bikini with a book and winter will be a distant memory.
Wherever you are, I hope this winter treated you well and spring has arrived with a strawberry in its mouth just for you.
XOXO
☾Jessica♥Malen☽ 