Fight the Cold with Your Humanity!

fight the cold, use your humanity
Do Not Let Winter Keep You Indoors!

fight the cold, use your humanity
Do Not Let Winter Keep You Indoors!
Many people use the cold as an excuse to become vegetables during the winter they whine and stay on their couch and watch TV or engage in some other sedentary activity. Folks complain about the cold and wish it were summer and resolve they will be active then. Of course, what happens when summer comes? Yea, it is too hot or too humid to be active. It is not the cold of winter or the heat of summer keeping you inactive, it is your attitude!

Now, I do not want to minimize the discomfort that cold can bring and in fact cold can be dangerous if you do not treat it with respect, but do not replace that respect with cowardice. Instead fight the cold with your humanity! What do I mean by that?

Fight the Cold with Your Humanity — Attitude!

The problem with the cold is not the cold so much, but your attitude. Those same folks complaining about the 30° F temperatures (around 0° C) are the same ones who complain when the temperature hits 85+° F (30 ° C) and also stay inside for fear of the hot weather. Indoor climate control has really spoiled us, no? We dash from our warmed (or cooled) houses into our cars which shortly warm up (or cool down) and then dash into a warmed (or cooled) office. Yes, it works the same in the summer.

The temperatures outside simply seem extreme because we do not subject ourselves to them and when we do it is like anything else, we are simply not used to them.

Fight the Cold with Your Humanity — Use Tools!

I do not dismiss the weather when I go out, in fact, I give it lots of thought. At this time of the year (winter) if I am going outside for more than a brief moment I dress for it. I wear multiple layers, I get out my technical cold weather gear, my wool sweaters and I wear them. Remember that guy you saw walking out of the mall in 15° F (-10 ° C) weather? That was not me I have all that gear on.

Same in the summer, I give the heat its due and prepare accordingly. I will ride my bicycle in 95° F (35° C) weather, no problems! Guess what I am generating a wind to help keep me cool. Again, I refuse to stay in my air-condition man-case grumbling about hot weather outside.

There are plenty of websites and folks in gear shops to guide you through the procurement of adequate gear for the weather, here is no shame in getting and wearing it day in and day out and especially on those days when you are outside and the cold is serious.

Fight the Cold with Your Humanity — Respect do not Fear or be Arrogant

Be sure to show the weather the respect it deserves and be prepared. Educate yourself on how extreme temperatures affect your body and understand when your body has had enough. It is no shame to head in or stay in when your body has had enough of the weather. The truth, is severe hot and cold weather can do damage to our bodies. That said, the problem for 99% of us is not that we risk too much with the weather but we cower from it when we need not. Prepare, be not afriad and you will be surprised how comfortable you will be in cold weather if you are dressed properly and are active.

Good Stuff!

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