February 11, 2022 – The Fifty-Second Official Friday Night BeerBlog

I always thought that having a birthday in January was enough to give the month a little zest, a little pizzazz. (Jazz hands) It was something more to look forward to after the two months of celebrating friends and family with candy, gifts, trees, and fizzy juice on New Year’s Eve. But as the first days of January may start with the budding promise of a new year, within days the lack of sun and bitter cold temps that keep you from nature, become the dull beat of a drum. Every day seems the same. Long. Dark. Cold.

I don’t know why this winter has seemed so long, but it has. Maybe it’s because I partook in Dry January. Maybe it’s because I’ve put myself on a strict dessert diet in February. Why do I hate myself so much you ask? That’s a fair question. I’ve been pondering this. Because as you know, the reason we do things and/or stick to things is because of the WHY behind the thing.

What Is Winter For?

Winter is what we call one of those necessary evils. Plants need shorter days and colder temperatures in order to become dormant. And it is during this time that they are able to store up enough energy for new growth. Instead of exerting energy in an attempt to grow, they know to stop growing and conserve energy until mild weather returns. This period of arrested growth allows roots to continue developing and thriving.

Winter also means fewer bugs, such as mosquitos and the diseases that they carry. Winter is a time for nature to stop and rest on the outside, but deep inside is preparing for what is next.

So, What Is Next?

I was talking to someone this week, complaining really, about this cold ass winter and about all the gray days. And she said, “Well I guess we need them.” I was like, “HUH”, but came to the realization that we need those cold, dark days because when it gets warmer and brighter, all of the tress and flowers which had seemed to abandon us were actually hard at work reinventing themselves.

They were getting ready for the day they would poke through the ground or have buds pop out on the branches to show us all of the hard work they had been doing all winter. Without them taking that time to do work on the inside, we wouldn’t have all of the beautiful green of the trees and the rainbow of colors that nature brings us.

Yeah, And?

Nature is sending us some not so subtle hints as to what WE should be using winter for as well. If you want to make an impression or impact in May or June, you need to put in the work now; off in the dark winter months when no one is watching. If you wait until spring or summer to get started, it’s too late.

This analogy could be true for so many things – training for sport, obtaining a weight loss goal, starting a new hobby, reaching a goal, and so on. When doing all of these things, we have to go through a “winter” of sorts where we have to go dormant and secretly work on it until we are able to debut it.

Let’s put it this way, I don’t ride my trainer indoors all winter because I want to. I do it so that when the days are longer and warmer, I will be ready to go out and be able to keep up with everyone else instead of suffering and just wishing it were over. If you wait till the first ride to be in the work, you’ll never be able to catch up.

And that’s why I’m enduring Dry January and No-Dessert February NOW. I’m putting in the work now so that I will be able to put on my summer clothes in a few months. Let’s just say I don’t plan on buying any new clothes in a bigger size.

It Just Is, Sorry.

Winter is a must. It just is. But just like Covid and the Quarantine, you can either use that time or just complain about it. I prefer the latter to start summer at an all time high.

It’s not too late to get started on whatever it is that you want to showcase this summer. I mean we ARE just a month and change away from the time change, but you can still make a dent. Let’s say you’re learning to play the guitar. Well, you’ve got enough time to learn “Smoke on the Water”. Just know that if you had taken advantage of all of the winter, you’d be up to “Highway to Heaven”. But progress is progress, so I say go for it.

Good luck if you choose to accept this mission. I’ve got your back.

LLM

Getcha Podcast version here:

https://pdcn.co/e/www.buzzsprout.com/1594894/10059773-fnbb-52-why-winter-is-a-good-thing.mp3?download=true