Joyful January

 ... although let's be honest, it's usually not that joyful!  It's cold, dark, and a very, very long time to the next payday!!


You know my thoughts on New Year resolutions by now, I'm not a great fan despite the fact that I absolutely love planning, organising, goals, targets etc etc.  However, it's simply not a good time of year to put pressure on ourselves.  Every year we think that something magical is going to happen on the 1st January and we'll morph into super motivated human beings.  I'm not being pessimistic, I'm being realistic and whilst it's brilliant to have the goal of changing something in your life for the better, you need to go about it in the right way.

Instead of charging into the new year like a bull in a china shop, use January and February to re-group so that you are ready to emerge in Spring, along with all the other new shoots and things in nature that have been resting and recuperating.  Don't be too complacent though, this is not an excuse not to do anything, there's lots you can be doing to set the foundations.

Spend some time outdoors - whatever the weather, make sure you spend some time outside every single day, even if it's only a 10 mins walk around the block.  By doing this, you'll also be able to see how things are changing in nature, such as the first snowdrops and signs of new life appearing.

Eat nourishing foods - winter is a great season for vegetables that can be used in comforting soups, stews and casseroles.  Keep a look out for seasonal veggies such as cauliflower, kale, parsnips, potatoes, swede, turnips.  Although it easy to find fruit at any time of year these days, apples, oranges, pears, satsumas and tangerines are particularly good and abundant at this time of year.

Get in tune with your body clock - try to wake-up, go to bed and use your energy levels in line with how you are feeling.  Although it's not always possible due to work and other commitments, you can still plan your day around when you feel most energised.  If you struggle to wake up on these dark mornings, it's worth investing in one of those alarm clocks that use gentle light to wake you up.  I cannot recommend these enough, mine has literally changed my (winter) life!  It's so nice to open your eyes to a gentle light rather than pitch black.

Be kind to yourself - make sure you create some 'me' time every single day.  Along with spending some time outdoors, walking, running, cycling or whatever else floats your boat, building in some gentle indoor activities like yoga, stretching and meditation into your day can have a real impact.  Make it a really pleasurable experience by creating a cosy, warm environment, light some candles and relax.  Even if yoga or meditation is not your thing, simply spending some time quietly reading or listening to music can be enough to recharge your batteries at this time of year.

Talking of being kind to yourself, I've decided to do these blogs once a month, rather than every week, due to other commitments this year.  This way I can keep things fresh and make them more impactful.

Wishing you all a very happy new year, I hope that the first week of 2022 has been kind to you and that you are being kind to yourself.  See you in 'Fabulous February'.

"Commit to consistency and do everything with kindness"

#2022

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