Whiny Wendy. Negative Nancy. Complaining Caitlin.

Winter has shoved open the door, barged into my life, and firmly planted its feet – refusing to budge.

Ah, winter.

I definitely struggle during this time of year to stay happy and cheerful. The darkness, the frigid temperatures, the bulky layers, the salt-encrusted cars and shoes, the inability to run, the black, dirty snow in the streets, and the general uncomfortableness and inconvenience of the season quickly outstays its welcome and I become a terribly Negative Nancy.

Cleveland winters are difficult. And make me whiny. No one likes a whiny Ashley.

Sure, there are pretty things about winter – the thick blanket of snow that perpetually covers everything, the bare trees with their arms stretching out to the blue (okay, gray) sky, and the fact that I get to wear clothes that conveniently mask my little belly. Plus, I always feel like a little kid again when I plod through snow-covered sidewalks in my awesome winter boots (On our way to pick up Chinese a few blocks away. Yum.).

But in a way only I can, I find a way to be eternally grouchy about the weather during these months.

“Oh! I just love the snow!” my coworker exclaims sweetly.

“Yeah, I just hope they’ll plow the streets for my drive home,” I grump back.

I even took myself by surprise; and when others start to notice my negativity, I think we have a problem.

I’m not saying I will ever really love winter, I’m not saying it isn’t slightly difficult and depressing, but I am saying that I can’t handle two or three more months of myself being this negative. Two or three more months of scaring (impressing?) the people around with just how negative I can be.

You know that whole cliche, “You can change others, you can only change yourself” or, “You can’t change others act, you can only change how you react”? Substitute “winter” for “others” and I might just have a way to battle the negativity. (I’m also considering a few sessions in a tanning bed to enjoy some sunshine. Stop judging me, you. You don’t know.)

How the heck do you cope with winter? (I haven’t ruled out moving somewhere slightly warmer. Though Hawaii is a bit too far away from my family for my taste.)