Embracing Winter: The Cozy Nordic Way

When people think about winter, they often focus on the negatives: the cold, the dark, and the seasonal depression the season can bring. But my guest today questions whether winter really has to be so miserable and says that by changing our mindset, we can actually learn to enjoy and even thrive during this season.

Kari Leibowitz is a psychologist and the author of How to Winter: Harness Your Mindset to Thrive on Cold, Dark, or Difficult Days. She spent a year at the northernmost university in the world in Tromsø, Norway, studying why people living in the Arctic, where the sun doesn't rise for two months, don't suffer from seasonal depression at the rates you might expect. Today on the show, Kari explains how our expectations can create a nocebo effect that makes winter feel worse than it needs to, why breaking winter into three distinct sub-seasons can help us appreciate it more, how Nordic practices like hygge can make darkness feel cozy rather than oppressive, and why getting outside and staying social — even when it's cold and dark — are keys to thriving during the season.

Resources Related to the Podcast

• AoM Podcast #856: Befriending Winter
• AoM Article: 8 Things That Can Help You Get More Hygge This Winter
• AoM Podcast #566: How to Have a Hyggely Christmas and a More Memorable New Year
• AoM Article: How Saunas Can Help Save Your Body, Mind, and Spirit
• AoM Podcast #801: The Cold Water Swim Cure
• Sunday Firesides: Contentment Through Contrast
• Sunday Firesides: No Such Thing as Bad Weather

Connect With Kari Leibowitz

• Kari's website
• Kari on X
• Kari's Substack — Wintry Mix