By Lisa Wood, Head of Marketing and Communications at Naimuri.
I love Christmas and the sparkles, magic and the parties, but as soon as the decorations are packed away, the songs have stopped playing and the last selection box chocolate is gone, I am ready to embrace January and to hibernate.
Don’t get me wrong, I am much more of a Summer girl, but over the past few years I have started to embrace the dark nights of January. The early nights, PJs and bed socks, curled up on the sofa with a good book, the healthier ways of eating, frosty walks and endless mugs of tea.
There’s something beautifully restorative about the slower pace, the quiet evenings, and the focus on self-care.
However, a few years back this was not the case. I believed in the hype that January was the most depressing month of the year and couldn’t wait for lighter days to arrive.
I think since being a Mum of two beautiful girls and having an action-packed December of pantomimes, parties, nativities and creating the ‘xmas magic’, I welcome the quietness and slower pace of life that January brings. The dark nights and the intense early evening sunsets.
The contrast between the bustle of December and the quiet of January feels almost natural.
The Lisa pre-kids' desire for parties and endless social events has been replaced by a craving for nature, peace, reading, walks and yoga.
We shouldn’t feel the need or pressure to go full throttle into starting an endless list of resolutions that you’ll never keep. Reflect, recharge, and prepare for the burst of energy that Spring will bring.
Wintering is a term I hear so much in January.
"Wintering” is the concept of allowing ourselves to retreat and rest in the winter months, to respect the natural cycle of life. Like animals in the wild, we too have an innate rhythm that often gets overshadowed by society’s obsession with constant productivity.
It is a great time to embrace this quieter time to recharge and nurture yourself.
Wrap up warm, reflect, sleep, get cosy and take time to listen to your body. These dark months offer a chance to retreat and reflect.
Take time to visualise how you’d like your year to go. We don’t have to follow society and rush into the year with intense energy and hustle.
Go gently into the year and sow the seeds now, so you can bloom alongside the flowers in Spring.
