With cold weather well underway, having a positive attitude about leaving our houses can be challenging. The freezing temperatures and road conditions make us want to stay warm and safe, which is highly important. However, it is also important to keep a positive mindset as we venture out to work as well as to shop and support local businesses that have remained open through the storms.

Having a positive attitude about shopping locally is more than just buying things; it’s about helping our community and supporting local businesses as well as our neighbors. Especially during these cold times, it is important to create a sense of community. As temperatures drop, there may be community members facing additional challenges, and our collective efforts to shop locally can have a positive ripple effect. By choosing nearby businesses, we can help keep more people safe and warm this winter.

Take, for example, the importance of stocking up on groceries. It’s not just about ensuring our families are well taken care of; it’s also about reinforcing the connections within our community. By choosing local stores for our essential needs, we not only support nearby businesses, but also foster a communal spirit. In addition to purchasing groceries for ourselves, it’s important to think of others in the community that might be struggling to produce a hot meal for themselves or their families.

Additionally, many members of our community are in need of blankets and winter gear to keep warm. When purchasing these items for ourselves, a thoughtful gesture is to consider buying locally and, if possible, getting extras to support those in our community facing challenges. Many of our local nonprofits are in need of donations and support so that they can help countless in our community. By extending our support to local businesses and nonprofits for such essential goods and considering the needs of others, we not only contribute to the local economy, but also to the well-being of our neighbors.

In consideration of our neighbors, though nobody likes shoveling snow, look around while you are outside and see if there is anyone that might need your help like an elderly neighbor or a single mom. Consider offering to help with snow removal, and if you aren’t capable of removing snow, consider hiring a local business to do it for you.

When we choose to shop at nearby stores and work with local businesses, we’re putting money back into our local economy, which is good for everyone. Local shop owners give us special attention and make us feel like part of a community, so as customers, let’s do the same for them. It feels good to know that our choices are making our community a better place.