2021, a New Year, a new vaccine, a time to be hopeful but at the same time a struggle to remain optimistic with talks of another national lockdown and more severe restrictions in place. So I could talk about how we cope with the next few weeks/months but i’m sure I’ll have plenty of opportunity to do that so instead I want to talk about what you will be adding to your January to make it more bearable, to give you hope, to help you through……
Personally I have never been good with January or February – I love the run up until Christmas, the dark winter months with sparkly lights and the anticipation of time off with loved ones (obviously not this year) but January and February for me are often just grey drizzly months!
With all that’s happened in 2020, I decided I needed to change my outlook for the beginning of this year. Those who know and work with me, know that I don’t promote New Year resolutions, it seems a daft time of year to try and make life changing differences to me? I’m not saying people shouldn’t make them if that’s their driver for the year ahead, if it’s the way to kick start their new year, but personally, it’s never worked for me nor for many of my clients. I set my personal and business goals up in September when it fits much more naturally into my lifestyle.
So, I decided that I didn’t want to start the year feeling grey and drizzly, that I needed to keep my eyes fixed firmly on the Spring where it appears that there will be light at the end of the tunnel and that led me to thinking to what I could do differently?
For starters, I’m only thinking about January at the moment, 5 weeks of it but I’m already halfway through the first week! Hooray! Then I thought about what I could add to January that would help me and therefore my clients (you can’t pour from an empty cup)? The things I’m adding are not things that everyone will be able to do and I appreciate that but I guess it’s looking at your lifestyle right here, right now, this month, these weeks and ask yourself “what can I add to make a difference to me?”
For me, someone who works from home, who can feel isolated at times when my husband’s away at work and the restrictions meaning I see very few people unless I’m on a dog walk – I needed some comforting elements to my month ahead but it’s also getting some perspective on things. January is not usually a month I would be doing much anyway, post Christmas, watching the pennies, avoiding the rain, not seeing that many friends who are all doing the same things so I’m not actually missing out on a huge amount of things! Perspective, it’s important. What can I add?
- I’m going to add more veggies to my diet, I’m going to try some different ones.
- I’m going to read when I have a break between clients, instead of seeing reading as a luxury it’s going to be upgraded to a necessity.
- I’m going to wear more colour.
- I’m going to paint my nails, wear nice eye make up, make an effort for me.
- I’m going to walk further with my dog taking in lungfuls of fresh air.
- I’m going to have more baths.
- I’m going to light more candles rather than save them for special occasions.
- I’m going to listen to more of the music I love when I’m cooking or doing stuff around the house.
- I’m going to listen to more radio programmes with the presenters on whose voices I find soothing or interesting.
That’s enough for January, those things will make a difference to me. What can you do that will make a difference for you?
A new year, a different way of looking at things and that is just for starters!
