The beginning of winter is a great excuse to hunker down, start a fire and cozy up with a good book. The first snowfall or two are magical. But when it drags on and on for weeks on end, it sucks the happiness right out of your soul. Anyone that lives in the north has probably experienced the emotional weight of too many dark, gray days, often referred to as the winter blues. According to a poll taken by the American Psychiatric Association, almost 40% of Americans experience an overall decline in their mood in the winter.

It turns out that the best way to cure the winter blues is to go somewhere sunny and warm. Sure, you can try a lightbox or antidepressants, but they don’t treat the root cause: not enough real sunshine. So, we decided to get to the root cause and cure the problem.

I never thought I would say it but… we have become snowbirds. Well, semi-snowbirds anyway. Mr. U was on board with this idea long before I was. He would talk enthusiastically about spending part of our long winters in sunshine. I drug my feet. I love to travel, but I tend to be a homebody, close to most of my peeps. He was tired of the cold, gray winters being stuck inside (unless you were outside moving snow). So, I kept an open mind as we tested out different potential destinations. Last winter we finally decided on one and took the plunge into being Snowbirds.

Choosing a destination to snowbird

We were not totally starting from scratch. We had visited several warm winter destinations over the years and had narrowed our search down to San Diego, Arizona or Florida as potential places. If you are considering the plunge into the snowbird lifestyle, there are some key factors to consider:

• Climate during the winter months. Do they get a lot of tropical storms or rain? Is it warm enough there in the winter months?
• Initial cost of investment. How much do you want to spend on a second home? What are the HOA’s? Is it in an area that you could sell later and probably get a good return on your investment?
• Travel time and expense to get back and forth. We did not want to spend a lot of time and money on travel, especially if we were going to go back and forth several times in the winter months.
• Rent potential. Can you rent it out in the months you don’t use it to offset expenses? Arizona is not a travel destination in the summer months, but the Phoenix area is big so we knew people would need to be there anyway. I set up an account with Furnished Finder and was able to rent it out for six months over the summer to traveling professionals.
• Distance from family and friends. This was very important to me. I wanted to be able to go back and forth easily and have it close enough that family could come visit for a get-a-way.
• Things to do in the area. Our home up north is in a small city surrounded by trees, lakes and mountains, so we did not need a rural get-a-way place. We thought the contrast of living in a big city would be fun. There are numerous festivals, sporting events and activities going on all winter.

Why Arizona? It checked most of the boxes for us, particularly being a quick direct flight from home so we could go back and forth easier.

The ups and downs of snowbirding

We have only done this for a few weeks, so I am speaking as a novice, but I already see some clear advantages and disadvantages of being a semi-snowbird. I say “semi” because we only plan to go for a few weeks at a time and then return home for a few weeks. That way we can stay connected to our life up north. Also, a couple of our grandkids are in winter sports, and we wanted to make sure we could attend some of their events.

Several people asked me if we really wanted to leave our new home up north when we were just beginning to nest there. No, from that perspective I did not. But I was also looking forward to getting away from the cold, gray days. It feels like being torn between two lovers (not that I would know what that feels like from personal experience).😊 When I told Mr. U that analogy, he was not amused.

I love our new home up north and we are just settling in, but the sunshine and freedom from responsibilities calls me. When we are in Arizona, there is no rushing or push/pull on our time. We bask in the sunshine, walk and/or ride bikes every day and get to eat al fresco, but… I do miss my tribe.

If not now, when?

Retirement is full of options and possibilities. It is unlike any other time in your life. You get to curate a lifestyle that fills you without being tethered to a job. What does your dream retirement look like and are you living it? It takes careful consideration and then the willingness to jump in, sometimes half blind.

So, whether you are considering buying an RV and traveling for months at a time, starting an Etsy shop, getting a place to snowbird, or just renting a booth at the Farmer’s market to sell the tomato plants you propagated yourself, do it now, while you can. Be open to the opportunities that life brings your way. You can always change if/when that choice no longer suits you. It is easy to let fear get in the way, but if not now, when?