There's no doubt that colder weather is often a deterrent to spending time outside. I'm hoping that those of you who have chosen to take on this Nature Rx Challenge have felt some of the positive benefits that spending more time in nature can bring. For our final week of the challenge I want to encourage you to continue this Nature Rx spirit into the wintertime and beyond. To help motivate us, I'm going to be turning to Scandinavia for help. In Norway there is a concept known as friluftsliv (pronounced free-loofts-liv) which roughly translates to "open-air-living." For many Norwegians, spending time outside is just a normal part of everyday life. Friluftsliv can look like anything from playing hockey or going fishing to simply drinking a morning cup of coffee outside, enjoying an afternoon stroll, or reading a few chapters of a book in the park. In fact, those simple, more passive outdoor activities are what most folks in Norway do every day. Winters are very cold and very dark in Norway, but that doesn't stop many Norweigans from getting outside. From my research on friluftsliv, here are a few takeaways that I think may help you spend more time outdoors this winter:

• Work on developing a "positive winter mindset"
  This winter, instead of letting thoughts of dread about the temperature fill your mind before you open the front door, try to think about the positive things that winter brings. Clear skies, crisp air, and so much more! Many in Norway "view winter as something to be enjoyed, not something to be endured," and that attitude might be just what we need to get us through these colder months.
• Block off outside time in your schedule
  In Norway, many companies encourage employees to work friluftsliv into their schedules because they know time outside will help them feel happier and be more productive. In that same spirit, perhaps consider blocking off time in your schedule to get outside. Even if you just have time for a 15 minute afternoon walk or an outdoor morning cup of coffee, those few minutes of outdoor time can add a lot of positives to your day. 
• "There's no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes"
  Apparently, this is a common phrase in Norway (it even rhymes in Norwegian!) and I think it's a good one to keep in mind. If it's going to be cold, it's better to overdress than underdress. Layers are your friend and will be a key ingredient to enjoying time outdoors this winter. 

In the past, I have definitely had a crummy attitude about the cold, dark months of winter. Getting myself out of bed has definitely started getting tougher as the weather has been getting colder, but I have found that the days when I have made time to spend even just a few minutes outdoors have been better than those when I have not. I know getting outside in the winter isn't easy, but it's good for you and might make the winter a little less blue. I found quite a few articles about friluftsliv that I've linked below and you can always explore past challenges for more motivation for getting yourself outside this winter. Good luck and thanks again for participating in the Nature Rx Challenge!