feat11Activating a Christian Mindset in Sports

Break Through the Winter Doldrums

Does February feel kind of “blah” to you? You’re not alone. The February Funk is rough for many people, and not just for those of us living in Loveland. Millions of Americans are affected by seasonal affective disorder (SAD) each year, and February is one of the peak months for people to feel a bit glum.

It’s easy to start counting down the days until warmer days and summer nights, but this isn’t a great way to spend your time. If you’re constantly thinking about what’s ahead, you’ll be missing out on the wonderful moments in the present. That’s why our private school has compiled a list of things to do in the dead of winter. Take a look at some things to do in February and March, and look into the many activities Resurrection Christian School has to offer! Begin the enrollment process today for the upcoming school year.

Try a New Sport

Being active in winter can seem like the last thing anyone wants to do, but it’s actually a great opportunity to try something new. Loveland and Fort Collins have tons of climbing gyms that are an excellent activity for kids and adults alike — check out Ascent or Whetstone in Fort Collins, or Wooden Mountain here in Loveland! Now’s also an ideal time to get back into (or start up) yoga, and it’s pretty easy to find a family-friendly studio. Dance classes, basketball, or other sports are a great way to stay fit, healthy, and happy throughout the winter.

As far as outdoor activities go, you might feel like skiing or snowboarding are your only options — and both are definitely an amazing sport for so many people to enjoy. However, countless others are not fans of the driving involved to get to the mountains, the ski passes and lift ticket prices, or the sports themselves. That’s OK too. You can rent snowshoes for pretty cheap, and it’s easy for anyone to try (while still being a good workout)!

When it’s cold out, we often retreat to our homes instead of venturing out. After all, who really wants to scrape their car, wait for the heat to warm things up, bundle up in countless layers, and be outside at 5 p.m. when it’s already pitch black out? But keeping up on fitness makes you feel better and makes the winter months go by faster. If your child is already enrolled at our private school in Loveland, be sure to look into upcoming sports they can partake in!

Start a Hobby

Being creative is one of the most important parts of life, but it can take us a lot of time and effort to really get ourselves going. Whether you want to take up painting, pottery, woodworking, knitting, or anything in between, now’s a good time to do so. You can even start your new hobby with a friend or loved one to make it more fun, while also holding yourself accountable.

As fun and easy as this sounds to take on a new project, starting up a hobby takes a good amount of motivation. It’s so much easier to veg on our phones than it is to start something that requires work and concentration. But ultimately, hobbies are more fulfilling and provide us with more joy. Once a week, schedule a block of time that’s dedicated to working on your craft, and put the phones and tablets away.

Have Something to Look Forward to

Every month in winter, you and your family should have something fun planned that everyone can look forward to. Ideally this is the case every month, but it’s good to make it a priority at the beginning of the year! It could be a mini-vacation, like a weekend trip up to Estes, it could be a road trip down to New Mexico, or it could even just be a movie and dinner date with the family.

The event itself doesn’t matter as much as the memories and connections you strive to create and strengthen. Putting something on the calendar is a necessary way to excite everyone, and it’s a way to break those winter doldrums. Your family will love having something fun on the horizon.

Make a New Routine

The winter doldrums set in because things seem boring. It gets dark too early and it’s too cold, so we end up doing the same indoor activities over and over again. You and your family can spice up those Wednesdays in the middle of February that seem tedious by starting a new weekly routine. Here are a few ideas:

  • Game or puzzle nights — shut off the TV or other screens and spend some time together in the middle of the week.
  • Cleanup dance party — when it’s time to clean things from top to bottom, blast the speakers with some of everyone’s favorite music. Of course, it’s necessary to make sure dancing is involved.
  • (Make a) movie or play night — break into teams and give everyone two hours to create a script for a play or to make a movie, then watch the results! Switch teams the following week.
  • Something new — it could be checking out a new park, trying a new ice cream spot, or even just making a new dinner recipe where everyone makes something new for people to enjoy (especially good for older kids). Spice things up by choosing a “new” day once a week.

Throw a Party

You’re not the only one with the winter doldrums! Sometimes it’s best to get people together to lift everyone’s spirits. Invite the extended family over, throw a neighborhood shindig, bring your friends and their kids together, and celebrate! Have a generational party (the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s are excellent inspiration), an indoor picnic, a luau, a build-your-own pizza event — the sky’s the limit!

If you start making this an annual occurrence, it will become something that everyone will look forward to and it will make the winter months a little more special. People will love getting to break through their own winter doldrums by celebrating in style.

At Resurrection Christian School, we have so many amazing activities going on, all throughout the year. From sports to clubs and so much more, there’s a ton going on at RCS! But our private school also recognizes that winter can seem to drag on forever, and we know that it doesn’t have to feel this way. Try out some of these activities with your family to make winters wonderful, and contact our school for questions on elementary, middle, or high school curriculum and admissions!