To be honest, winter is most people's least favorite season. It has to make up for its miserableness with bribes (like holiday gifts and food). Sure, you can try to brave the cold and take part in all of the cute seasonal festivities, but I’m telling you, a hoe gets cold! But one creator is going viral for not only sharing tips to make it more tolerable, but also mapping out a full plan that sets you up for success.
When I saw one of Gabrielle Coffey's first "Winter Cure" videos, it had a few million views. With a hot pink iPad in one hand and an Apple Pencil in the other, Coffy spelled out her four-phase plan to not only survive, but thrive during the winter. Days later, that video reached over 7 million; not to mention its 1.4 million likes and 500,000 saves. Now, that one clip has become a full series of themed days (Motivation Monday, Thriving Thursday) and Sunday livestream sessions that allow fans to ask questions and share their own personal winter cures.
Throughout the series, the 25-year-old Connecticut native breaks up "The Winter Cure" into phases based on dates and focus. For example, phase one (which ended when we gained an hour on November 2) is all about giving ourselves the tools to succeed when winter truly starts, including bedtime routines, exercise, skincare, budgeting, and so much more.
We're currently in Coffy's phase two, which means it's time to prioritize our self-care and respect our body's natural rhythms. Some of my personal favorite tips include drawing a bubble bath every night at 6 pm, practicing your makeup instead of scrolling, and committing to writing in a "word vomit" journal first thing every morning.
To spread "The Winter Cure" gospel even further, Coffy's released multiple, detailed how-to PDFs and says she has more on the way. She created more than just a survival guide; she has rallied a fierce community determined to take charge this season. So, I caught up with Gabby to chat about her inspiration, influencer culture, and, of course, to get details on her famous iPad.
What prompted you to make that first "Winter Cure" video?
I was wondering how to not plummet like I did last winter, and how I could consciously move through this winter in a way that honors my cycles. I've just been using TikTok as an outlet because life is just really struggling to be fun right now. I want to make sure that I'm showing up for the Gabrielle in mid-January. I don't want her to stress. I want her to feel like she has her life together. It's not only dark and scary outside, it gets dark and scary inside, right?
In your videos, it really comes off like you've got it all figured out. So to hear you say that that's not really how you operate is shocking to me!
Yeah, it's so funny. I've been telling a lot of people I have my Mars in Taurus, which is the laziest one. I know I have to stay on top of my shit, so that in the moments where I'm bed rotting for eight hours, my life can still feel like it's settled. What I'm really excited about with this PDF that I'm releasing is that I love just being able to look at my phone and take three seconds to scroll through what I planned for myself for tomorrow.
When you wake up in the morning and know what your schedule looks like, then you know the rhythm of your day. And that's what I've been trying to focus on. You're still gonna be living life when it's dark and cold and scary, that doesn't stop.
How do you stay motivated?
Our brain operates on a reward/punishment system, and that's kind of where it all came from. When you're not routinely structured, and suddenly it's January, you're like, Where's my will to live? The sun literally regulates our dopamine. When we don't have that force doing that for us, we have to take on that role. That's why I was so serious, because that's how I am with myself. I know I'm lazy, so I'm like, This is what we're doing, bitch. That's how it comes off in my videos, because it's really me talking to me, and I guess everyone's along for the ride.
What's it been like going from 10,000 views on a video to 7 million views? How has that been for your mental health?
It was astronomical. I saw Lizzo talk about how people's lives change overnight because of social media. It's so funny to see someone like Lizzo say that TikTok is the place to be. It's just been a whirlwind. If you were to tell me that I was gonna go viral for a winter prep video, I'd be like, what? It's all so random. And having people like Justine Skye or Simone Biles or Monet McMichael liking and reposting my TikTok, being seen by people who live those lives… It's a crazy thing to be seen by people who have dedicated their livelihoods to helping others and providing entertainment.
What are the expectations that come with suddenly being someone with an insane following?
There’s influencer fatigue. I really do think people are getting tired of seeing people sell shit. I don't want to be somebody who just seems like she's doing it for a bag. But it's hard when you have to do what you need to do to keep the content at the caliber it's at. Now that I have such a large following, I want to make sure I'm showing up and making the content good. The aesthetic of TikTok is that each little vignette you're seeing is just a little clip of somebody's life. And I want "The Winter Cure" to be this nugget of warmth and coziness.
What’s been the most rewarding part of it? Have you gotten any comments that really stuck with you?
It's like my community found me. There was this woman who emailed me yesterday who had come from one of my TikTok lives. She said that she was just recently widowed and that seeing my videos every day has helped her plan how she would get through what was going to be a daunting time for her. She was expressing that this routine would help her get herself back.
I think the whole arc of our human condition is not being able to see what we are. If we really do share humanity, if we really are more alike than we are different, then I know that if showing up and giving routine feels right for me, it must feel right for somebody else. We really are all doing this together.
How do you go about gathering your curriculum? What's your inspiration process?
Girl, I am chronically on Pinterest. It’s my creative outlet. I also just try to think of somebody in particular and imagine what they would like or need. And if that’s too much of a reach for me, I think of what I would like. I see a smaller version of myself in the audience with all of these other people. It really is 120,000 different kinds of people.
So I can share with the class, what are the iPad details?
I have the pink iPad 10th Gen! But I might be upscaling it soon, because I only have five gigs [left]. I also just got a new Apple pencil!
And glasses details?
They’re from Amazon, Madison Avenue women’s blue light glasses.
Do you have a plan for the other seasons?
GC: Yes! People aren’t going to need that same hold-my-hand energy. As we get into spring, I think I’ll just lead everyone into the summer vibes and help with that transition. In summer, I’ll probably drop off and only do small videos like, BRB, enjoying the summer. I’ll do an off-season for myself.
For someone who is maybe finding out about you from this story, what would be the one thing you hope they take with them?
This is an act of self-love. You are showing up for your future. I am the sole owner of taking care of myself, and it’s a responsibility I take seriously. Helping other people create a plan for a time they may be most susceptible to losing themselves is my sole hope.
