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January may be the first month on the calendar, but in the continuous loop that is time, it also happens to follow the last, most festive, month of the year. This is why, most likely, as we come down from our party “high,” we often reflect and resolve to do better. “I will not eat cake for dinner!” “I will exercise more!” “I will organize my basement!”
Of course, in our neck of the woods, January also happens to be the coldest month of the year, which, on occasion, can make adhering to the New Year resolutions, a bit more challenging. Although, I can remember a winter not so far back, where it snowed so much that shoveling became THE exercise…
A resolution, by definition, is a firm decision to do or not to do something. Resolving to do or not to do something you either want to accomplish or improve about yourself or your behavior is a good thing.
Resolving to do it simply because you feel bloated, or tired or stressed by the holiday clutter of new presents, at a time of year where you must add bundling up with layers of clothing to your daily routine, may not be setting yourself up for success.
In January, I try to eat fewer sweets, drink more hot tea and make sure that I have a good moisturizing hand cream. I try to watch a movie that may become an Oscar nominated film or a new TV series which debuted in September and make sure that I have enough fuel in the tank to get me through a cold snap.
I try to find a good book to read and make sure that I keep extra blankets on the couch and near the bed. I try to find time to take a walk on a quiet road and listen to the silence of winter and make sure that my mud room floor stays relatively clean from the mud and dirt I track in.
I try to remember to thank those who were thoughtful and kind enough to give me presents in December and make sure that I don’t forget those in my family with January birthdays. I try to find a new soup recipe and make sure that I clean out my refrigerator from all of the holiday leftovers. Truthfully, I can’t ever remember a time where, in January, I felt the need to RESOLVE to do or not to do anything, simply because it was January! I am too busy scraping my windshield or pumping air into a deflated tire or running to the store to return a gift.
SO … If you don’t exercise enough, simply try to exercise more. If you have a tendency to overindulge in something, simply try to eat or drink or whatever it is you overindulge in, less. If you want to be kinder to people, then try to be kinder. If you want to be smarter, then try to take a class in something. If you want to organize your house, then try to throw more stuff away. If you want to take that elusive trip of a lifetime, then try to save more money. Overall, January IS a perfect time for reflection and then, ultimately, for trying to make some changes. But then again, so is February!
TRY. TRY.
Kathy Naumann, possessor of NATURALLY curly hair and the understanding that you can’t control everything!
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