Tips for Surviving the Winter Months in Montana

The past few weeks have been noticeably cold and snowy here in Montana! It’s hard sometimes, even as someone who was raised here, to keep a positive outlook when it’s this stormy and cold outside. So here’s a few tried and true tricks I use to survive (and thrive!) in winter.

Get outside! I realize this might sound counter intuitive, but honestly one of the best things to do is just get outside. Especially on the sunny days your body and mind will thank you for the extra vitamin D. Obviously there’s only so many activities you can do when there’s two feet of snow in your yard, so things like snow shoeing, cross country skiing and sledding come top of mind. Even if it’s just for 20-30 minutes it will feel like an accomplishment and will keep you from going stir crazy inside. If you’re looking for some great places to cross country ski check out my blog post on locations under the “Lifestyle” category.

Treat yourself to a new cozy set of sweats. Having something warm to wear that makes you feel good is key, since you do spend so much time indoors. I am personally loving matching sets lately – I feel dressed up and put together even though I’m still in comfortable sweats!

Make good, nutritious meals. I find that if I make the effort to cook more often in winter I feel better. My go-to favorite right now is a twist on a caprese pasta. Mix noodles, butter, basil, mozzarella and small tomatoes together for the fulfilling carb portion of the meal. Add with it a good protein (steak is my favorite obviously) and some sauteed zucchini. Best part about it? Listening to some great music while you’re cooking!

Invest in a “happy light.” These special kind of lamps/bulbs mimic actual sunlight and can make a huge difference. I personally have mine on in the bathroom in the morning while I’m getting ready.

Go out to dinner with friends. It’s easy to become a little isolated when it’s cold and the roads aren’t great. Make an effort to get together with friends. It will get you out of the house and more importantly let you connect with others!

Invest in a snowblower. This one might be more personal preference, but I absolutely hate shoveling snow. We got a great snowblower a few years ago and it has been life changing. I still have to bundle up but it’s so much less effort and honestly a little fun.

Bring home fresh flowers. Grab a fun bouquet of flowers at the grocery store the next time you’re there! It will brighten up the room and remind you that spring is in fact on the way. As some flowers always last longer in vases than others I usually go through once a week and keep the good ones and put them in a smaller vase as needed.

Last but not least, plan a trip! As much as you can do while you’re in Montana, sometimes the best thing is to get away for a little bit. I personally try to take a short trip in either February or March. It gives you a little break from the weather and a change of scenery is always nice. You’ll come back feeling refreshed and ready to take on the rest of the winter season. Pro tip: make sure you have an ice scrapper in your car when you leave it at the airport! Inevitably it will be snowing when you get back.

If you have any other great ideas for surviving this time of year please let me know!