We are over half way through January; the weather has taken a cold turn and New Years Resolutions may be feeling more like a chore by now. It’s important to be kind to yourself these days, and not let the “New Year – New Me” pressure get to you. Everywhere we look there are demands to use January 1st as a time to totally reinvent yourself. This wasn’t always the case.
In fact, celebrating the New Year in January is only around 400 years old as a tradition. The New Year used to be rung in on the 25th of March. This made sense, as that’s when nature is “waking up”; new shoots are showing, there is optimism and colour all around us. In January…not so much. In January the natural world is hibernating, dormant, resting and not trying to get its steps in!
So if you’re struggling to meet the demands of “New Year, New You”, give yourself a break! Remind yourself you are just “at one” with nature, taking the cold winter as a time to rest and consolidate.
New Year Alternatives
If you really want to mark the new year, here are some resolutions you could try, without the pressure to reinvent yourself:
- Random acts of kindness: bring in your neighbours bins, offer to babysit for a friend, buy someone flowers
- Giving: Give money, time, skills, whatever you have, to those in need. Check out local volunteering opportunities here: https://www.i-vol.ie/
- Connect: Send a letter to an older relative, take a walk with a friend, ask that new co-worker how they are settling in
- Self-care: Give yourself express permission to spend at least 30 minutes every day on something you love. A bath, a jigsaw, a chat with a friend, a really nice coffee (we hear Honestly has great coffee), whatever it is.
So, there will be plenty of time to turn over a new leaf in March, if that’s what you want to do. Be kind to yourself for now, and wrap up warm. You have our blessing.
