Do you find mid to late January a challenging time of year? Many do. The festivities are behind us, a new year has started, the weather is cold and in some parts of the world, the day is very short so we have longer dark hours.
Yet January can also be a motivating time, if we allow it to be! It can be an opportunity to re-set, to slow down a little and to allow time to think and plan.
What are some good ways to invite energy and planning into your life?
Start writing – if you don’t already, start each day with a little reflection and some writing. It could just be stuff that is whizzing around in your head or it could be the start of intention setting and ideas. If you can do this every day throughout the rest of January and into February, you might be amazed at some of the insights you collect. Insights around what you really want for yourself, what is triggering stress and what ways you want to spend your time this year.
Get walking – I advocate this hugely in the sessions I run because it has so many incredible benefits. I know it’s easier to stay cozy inside when the temperatures drop but one of the best things you can do for your mental and physical health is bundle up and get outside. Nature is healing and nurturing and helps us to breathe more deeply and become more aware of what is around us, in front of us and within us. That has a ripple effect on your ability to be present but also your nervous system.
Make space – we rarely do this but we need to carve out space for our brains to process change, emotion and thoughts. This can already happen on a walk but also happens when you just allow yourself 5 minutes to be still. When you feel you want to reach for your phone, don’t. Just be. With practice, you’ll be able to make this space in settings like queues or in traffic jams or whilst you are walking to your next meeting. The result is a clearer mind and a calmer heart.
”"In the dept of winter, I finally learned that there was within me an invincible summer" - Albert Camus
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Get watching – find some old movie or a comedy and allow yourself some time to enjoy it, to get immersed in it without scrolling at the same time. How many times do you do this? Rather than just sitting on the sofa with a massive array of choices, take a little time to research something you really want to watch, decide when you’re going to watch it (and maybe with whom) and settle down to savour it. You can do the same thing with podcasts.
Get reading – books or magazine articles, just make sure it is non-digital and sit down for 10 or 15 minutes to read. Doing so improves your focus, concentration, ability to be present and you’ll probably learn something as well.
All of these activities will boost energy, give you ideas, help you plan and execute the things that are truly important to you. They will also calm you and take the edginess away that might be there.
