Rx for Wintering Well #2
Peek Perspectives Wintering Edition 2
Blame it on my “wintering” mindset …. but I somehow beckoned winter to really, truly, officially arrive in Oklahoma this week. I’m writing you from single digit temperatures in the land where the wind comes sweeping down the plains. Our pond is frozen, the wind-chill is at zero degrees, and all we want to do is stay cozy inside by the fire.
Speaking of cozy, I’m also writing you from the comfort of my favorite local, historic hotel, where the other Dr. Peek and I booked our annual new year “Peek Vision” overnight (kid-free) getaway. We basically check in and eat great food and live in our sweatpants while we take time to reflect on the past year, catch up on sleep, spend time in prayer, and strategically set our goals and dreams for the year ahead. It’s one of my favorite ways to start the year with intention for our family, and we try to do it every January. I highly recommend implementing a rhythm like this in your family, however that looks.
Last week, I shared a winter reflection, a winter health tip, and a winter family fun idea. Now that we are full swing into the wintering spirit (and winter weather), we are taking it to the next level in today’s edition of Wintering Well. I have 3 more Rxs for you, but I’m also going to dispense a challenge for you to consider this week… (right, because winter isn’t challenging enough?! Ha. Just trust me on this one…)
I. Rx for winter wellness
II. Rx for a warm winter recipe
III. Rx for winter reflection…and a neighborly challenge
I. Rx for Winter Wellness:
If you’re someone who experiences the “winter blues” or worsening mood this time of year, you may find yourself especially struggling on these darker, colder days. Try this: find a way to get outside every day. (Besides simply walking to/from your car)… No matter the weather, bundle up and go outside for as long as you can stand it. Maybe it’s simply a walk around the block (with your Golden Retriever who doesn’t care how frigid it is…she needs to go outside… or is that just mine?!)
I’m the queen of cozy during these frigid months, and staying inside is an easy default. But I always feel better when I force myself to get outside. I’ve heard it said, “there’s no such thing as bad weather…only bad clothing.” And being outside in nature has a way of regulating our body’s physiologic rhythms and improving our overall mood, as sunlight triggers our body to release serotonin and Vitamin D. This time of year, we need all of that goodness we can possibly get.
Give yourself permission to buy a little something this week that will level up your winter gear… a new pair of gloves, a colorful beanie, or even a cozy pair of boot socks. I find that when I’m more prepared with winter wear, the cold isn’t so intimidating after all.
So, get outside! That’s the simple winter wellness tip you already knew… but maybe needed a little reminder.
II. Rx for a Warm Winter Recipe:
Now, if you know me personally, you probably know that cooking is not my forte…and so I married a man who has a love for culinary creations. Enter, the other Dr. Peek! Maybe I will talk him into sharing one of his original recipes soon, but today, I’m sharing a very easy recipe that is in my small handful of “recipes I have memorized and can easily cook”… it’s one my own mom taught me! We have it on repeat in our house year-round, but especially now as our bodies crave warm, simple food: breakfast casserole. If you’re tired of winter soups (is that possible?!), consider adding this into your rotation.
What is more comforting than a hearty, hot breakfast…especially for dinner?! Monday nights are breakfast nights around our table, and it’s a cozy way to start the week. This one is protein packed and has simple ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen.
Here it is, in my middle school-handwritten glory from about 25 years ago…
Seriously, so simple. What did you expect from my non-chef self?
My tips: We often omit the bread, and it turns out great! Also, you could sub crumbled bacon instead of sausage…or add veggies instead.
Best tip from the other Dr. Peek: line your baking dish with parchment paper before you pour everything in. Bake as directed. When you pull it out of the oven, simply lift the parchment paper out and easily cut the casserole. And, voila! Your dish is easy to wipe clean.
III. Rx for Winter Reflection…and a challenge:
Winter can be a time of bleak, cold, isolation… which can be a trigger for loneliness. The colder weather draws us inside, away from the rest of the world, and we are often less likely to interact with neighbors (and even sometimes, less likely to gather with friends). The hustle and excitement of the major holidays have passed, and the twinkling lights have dwindled (unless you’re at my house, where our Christmas tree is still going strong as a “winter tree”… no ornaments, just white twinkle lights remain.)
I’m convinced that human connection is even more crucial in this often lonely time of year, after the holiday gatherings have faded, and everyone has retreated into their cozy season. So, how do you continue to engage with the world outside, when all you want to do is sink into your softest blanket, warm drink in hand, by the light of the fire, after a long day out in the freezing cold world?
***Enter… THE NEIGHBOR WINTERING CHALLENGE***
This week, we are going to find a reason to reach out to a neighbor (or friend, or family… really anyone, but it has to be someone outside your household). We are going to be a good neighbor…by asking for help with something. Yes, you read that right. So often, we think being a good neighbor/friend involves helping someone else. I love being helpful. And I don’t personally love asking for help.
But here’s the thing.
I continue to find that people are more likely to open up and feel comfortable asking me for help when I’ve first been vulnerable with them. Vulnerability leads to connection, and connection leads to meaningful relationships. That is something we can all use more of, especially during these bleak winter days.
Here’s an example:
We got a 150 foot zip-line for Christmas, much to our children’s delight. We spent hours one recent (and much warmer) afternoon installing it in our yard, and we were nearly finished. But there was still too much slack in the line and we’d exhausted every tool and ounce of strength we had to make it any tighter.
A quick Google search told us the ideal tool we needed, and we could certainly run to a store in town to grab it. Or, better yet, have it delivered the next day. In this day and age, we are quick to research what we need and buy it ourselves, even if it’s something we won’t use often. It’s just the way of our culture. Need it, want it, buy it. We pride ourselves on independence, don’t we?!
Instead, we texted our neighbor who is a rancher. Maybe he already had a tool we could use…surely, he had something similar for installing and tightening his fencing on the ranch? Did I mention we are the “new neighbors?” We’ve only lived here a few months, and while we have definitely reached out to ask for help from others before, we tend to figure things out ourselves. But at the risk of inconveniencing someone, we decided to reach out anyway.
To our surprise, The Rancher showed up on our front porch only minutes later, a tool in hand. But he didn't just hand it to us. “Come on! Let’s do it” he said… right now! For the next hour he stood out on a ladder, optimizing our setup while our girls eagerly waited for their turn.
Since then, The Rancher has stopped by more than once on his way home, when he has seen us playing out on the zip line. I thanked him again for all of his help. He thanked us for asking. I told him how much joy the zipline was bringing us. His response? “Me too…” as he smiled, listening to the girls’ squeals of delight as they flew from tree to tree.
Being a good neighbor (literally, as our actual neighbor in this case… or figuratively, as fellow humans passing by) sometimes means offering help to someone else. But sometimes…it also means asking for help, instead of doing it yourself. It means opening a window of opportunity to build connection, instead of assuming your request would inconvenience someone else.
As humans, we want to feel needed, useful, and important to someone else. And in the lonely cold days of winter, what better time to find connections with the people around us?
This week, ask a neighbor for help with a simple task (it can be literally next door or someone across town). You’re not being needy… you’re forming a connection. And you never know how much someone else needs to feel needed.
Need a snow shovel? Pause before buying a new one, and ask if a neighbor could loan you one instead. Need one more egg to make the recipe above? Ask a neighbor instead of running all the way to the store.
It’s a simple concept that has been so commonly practiced for many generations before…but let’s remind ourselves how much we need each other in these bleak, cold, winter days.
And, if you meet a new neighbor, form a new connection, or strengthen an old relationship in the process, I’d love to hear about it!
Until next week, cheers to Wintering Well…
Dr. Peek
P.S. Have a great winter book recommendation for us to dive into? I’d love to include some reader favorites in future newsletters, as so many of us are making our book lists for cozy season. Please share in the comments here or send me a message on social media!