Hello January! Depending on which hemisphere you are on this time of the year is either blanketed in winter’s chill or in the early days of summery bliss. Living in Canada it has been blustery and snowy for about two months now. Spring is on the horizon but the time for hunkering in is here. When I think of January what comes to mind is stillness. The kind of stillness you can only find in the midst of winter. It is eerie but can also be calming… Like being in a cocoon. It is the flicker of a candle or the landscape shaded in bluish white calm at dusk. I recall childhood memories of silent winter mornings with the chickadees and cardinals fluttering around all the seeds my Mom had lovingly scattered about.
This month often brings about feelings of discontent. It is the inevitable pause following a three month push of October, November and December, all full of seasonal trappings and budding anticipation. After all the stimulation of the holidays it can feel like screeching brakes. January 1st rolls around and looking around in the seasonal daze your may think, “Well, now what?”. That is why I feel like we all need to give ourselves extra grace during this month. A time to catch our breath and retreat inwards in anticipation of a new year ahead.
For myself I find it easier to ease out of the last year gradually. The days are so short and what we do get is often tinged with grey with a chill in the air that just won’t let go. That is why I no longer feel any guilt for keeping the tree up all through January. People love to shame those who do this. Many have everything neatly boxed up and stowed away before the ball drops and other eager beavers happily stow it all away on the 26th of December. But I honestly don’t think its any different from people who have everything up early in November who are looked at as charmingly quirky. I’m just the opposite though… Instead of enjoying it for a month prior in anticipation; I like to appreciate it after all the stress and events are passed. When things are quiet and you can just be still with everything. Something I find that January welcomes.
I’m definitely one of those people that finds themselves on the struggle bus during the colder seasons . The lack of green and sunshine feels depleting, and the thought of being outdoors feels like a chore. I see people who thrive and feel a little jealous before reminding myself that we all have our seasons. My mind wanders and yearns for spring and summer… Those blissful seasons when I can sail out the front door in just a dress and sandals, maybe a light jacket. The blissful alternative to multiple layers and either feeling too hot or not warm enough. I find it easier to get irritable as well. Thankfully if I jump on it and busy myself with books, movies or simply doing something around the house I can climb out of a blue mood.
Another thing that I find fantastic, and a great help in reinvigorating myself, is embracing my inner 12 year old. This is a bit of a generalization but it simply means letting myself fully immerse myself in my favorite interests and also the excitement of a new discovery! I look up old book series I would like to collect someday, make up list of clothes I might like to thrift for spring or go down a rabbit hole and find out all the trivia I can on a favorite star of golden age Holywood.
If I find it difficult to be as physically active this time of the year as I would like I can at least keep my mind fed and eager for more!
Toujours Katie 