February 25, 2026

Snowed in and Snowed Out

How to Manage Your Day When Your Spirits Are Low and the Snow Is High

By Angela Gallo

Parallelism and emotional metaphors aside… if you’re in New England—or really anywhere dealing with a shit-ton of snow this winter—how are you doing?

Thirty-six inches of snow definitely really messed with my normal rhythm—first physically, then emotionally.

My office is closed for the week (see picture above), so I’m mostly at home with the dogs, and I’m pretty sure we’re all going stir-crazy.

Most of my in-person clients have agreed to meet virtually this week, and their responses to this snow have ranged from grateful college students using it as a chance to slow down and catch up, to retirees feeling stuck in their homes until the streets are cleared.

But if you’re like me, this snow is slowly killing you.

Being out in the world, in the community, is essential to my well-being. So staying home for extended periods of time tends to get to me. I start to feel down and unmotivated. I find myself reverting to older—and newer—comfort habits: snacking, doom-scrolling, and just feeling… blah.

But not to fret. I have strategies and tools I can access to help myself feel alive and motivated again.

Here’s how I’m managing.

Mood Follows Action

First, I always start by reminding myself:

Mood follows action.

It’s funny how quickly I can “forget” this.

But once I take that first step, I can usually plan something—an activity—that helps me get out of my head and into my body.

My go-to’s include:

Creating art; Cooking; Journaling/doodling; Walking with my dogs (although sometimes that feels like a chore too—but more on that another day)

Today’s Choice: Sesame Cinnamon Buns

Today, I’m combining creativity with cooking.

Because I’m seeing clients intermittently throughout the day, making art doesn’t feel like the best option. I usually use art to decompress, and decompressing in between sessions is actually a little counterintuitive—I need to stay “on” while I’m working.

And to be honest, I’ve been in a creative drought lately. Trying to climb that mountain right now would probably also be counterproductive.

I know myself well enough to know I need to do something I can succeed at first… and then build from there.

So today, I decided:

I’m making sesame cinnamon buns.

Random, I know. But hear me out.

I enjoy cooking, and for me, it’s an easy way to reconnect with my body.

It’s:

Repetitive
Rhythmic
Intentional
Fun and creative (because I’ve never made them before)

Bonus points: I’ll have a little sweet treat waiting for me tonight when I’m done seeing clients and finally ready to decompress.

A little journal/doodle session with a fresh, hot, steamy sesame cinnamon bun? Uh, yes.

Honestly… It’s the small novelties in life that give us LIFE.

Find Your “Sesame Cinnamon Bun”

Now, sesame cinnamon buns are not a magical cure.

And they’re definitely not what you need to make to get out of a rut.

But you do need to find what your sesame cinnamon bun is.

What’s the thing that gently brings you back to yourself?

So tell me—what are you doing to get yourself through these snowy, cold winter days?

I’d love to know.