Caroline ’s Reviews > How to Winter: Harness Your Mindset to Thrive on Cold, Dark, or Difficult Days > Status Update
Caroline
is on page 33 of 265
"While there were questionnaires that asked about seasonal depression, distress, and sleep disorder in winter, there were no surveys that made room for the potentially positive aspects of the season. This not only created problems for my study, it hinted at biases in the larger scientific framework for researching winter. If we can only study what we can measure, the fact that there were no existing [BELOW]
— Feb 02, 2026 11:45AM
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Caroline ’s Previous Updates
Caroline
is on page 141 of 265
"...what's known as the Peak-End Rule in psychology suggests that people judge and remember experiences based on how they felt at the "peak," or most extreme and intense point, and at the end of the experience. So these extreme—and usually rare—instances can become our default memory of what winter is like, even when evidence suggests that's not usually the case." [CONT'D BELOW]
— Mar 11, 2026 09:21AM
Caroline
is on page 97 of 265
"Mindsets are true but biased: they zoom in on one slice of complicated phenomena. Similarly, our attention is selective: it's meant to filter. Attending to every light, sound, and physical sensation at all times would put you in sensory overload. We can't notice and observe everything, so our mental shortcuts—including our mindsets—help determine our focus. [...] One of the ways mindsets become [BELOW]
— Feb 25, 2026 10:11AM
Caroline
is on page 54 of 265
Author is right that these days seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is unfortunately, like so many other psychological disorders, experiencing over self-diagnosis. Specific criteria characterize this disorder, and most people don't meet those: "Estimates vary, but research generally suggests that in the US, somewhere between 0.5 percent and 3 percent of people suffer from the disorder [...] The vast [BELOW]
— Feb 08, 2026 11:21AM
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Feb 02, 2026 11:46AM
instruments to capture winter's benefits suggested that we weren't used to looking for or thinking about people's positive experiences of the season, even as thousands of research articles addressed winter depression. In focusing, admirably, on helping people who suffered during the winter, academics, researchers, and clinicians may have inadvertently created a conversational bias in the psychological literature, perpetuating the idea that we must all be vigilant against winter's negative mental health effects. No one seemed to be talking about the people around the world who thrive during winter."
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As a New Englander I enjoy the change of seasons. We had some snowfall a month ago that covered everything and it was beautiful. And it melted quickly, which was nice. As the seasons come to an end I'm ready for the next one to start.
David wrote: "As a New Englander I enjoy the change of seasons. We had some snowfall a month ago that covered everything and it was beautiful. And it melted quickly, which was nice. As the seasons come to an end..."I'm so glad to hear you enjoy all the seasons! I've been a winter hater since I left childhood (prefer spring), but I listened to an interview of the author, and she's so right. Society does perpetuate negative bias toward winter. It's depressing and "something to get through." It doesn't have to be.
We got major snowfall a few days ago (you missed it, I think?), so I'm glad to be reading this now.
It sounds interesting and I look forward to your review!No, we got about 16 inches of snow last weekend (in January) and it's been single digit and low double digit temperatures since then. Still lots of snow everywhere. It was 31 today and it felt comfortable. I'm looking forward to the arrival of spring!
David wrote: "It sounds interesting and I look forward to your review!No, we got about 16 inches of snow last weekend (in January) and it's been single digit and low double digit temperatures since then. Still..."
See, that was me forgetting that it's now February. O.o
What you're experiencing is pretty much what we are--tons of snow still hanging around, and it would be because outside is a freezer! I think we got into the 30s yesterday, and it was like it was WARM. The single-digit days were horrible. :[
See, I don't mind winter. Sure, I prefer spring, but you also get a huge holiday season during winter and all the good excuses to curl up with fluffy blankets and hot cocoa.
Morphing_kashi wrote: "See, I don't mind winter. Sure, I prefer spring, but you also get a huge holiday season during winter and all the good excuses to curl up with fluffy blankets and hot cocoa."It has its high points. The author mentions those, but she rightly points out that most winter days are routine and mundane, not magical like we see in books, movies, and whimsical winter-themed art. Also, winter is so dominated by Xmas that woe to you if you dislike it (or don't celebrate it).
Caroline wrote: "Morphing_kashi wrote: "See, I don't mind winter. Sure, I prefer spring, but you also get a huge holiday season during winter and all the good excuses to curl up with fluffy blankets and hot cocoa."..."The other seasons aren't that magical either, but I get the point. I also celebrate the winter solstice and New Year more than Christmas, heheh. 😊
