The last three years, heading into January have been very different for me. For a start, I have slowed down in this Winter month. I have taken my time to embrace the depths of Winter and understand what I truly want my goals and dreams to look like.
I feel that it is so easy to get wrapped up in the constant push for growth, and change, to compare who you are. Just picking up your phone allows you to look around on socials and feel inadequate.
Quotes to Listen to
Death to Stock posted on their thread on New Year’s Day, “Beware the relentless improvement cult. It’s a facade. True rebellion lies in embracing contentment, not chasing endless change. Defy the growth-obsessed “gurus” on your feed.” I found this to be very thought-provoking.
What I have found in the crazy world we live in, that has adapted to have fast-moving reels and videos and how these days people can only have a short attention span and can’t concentrate on longer sentences, or reading an actual book, is that it is okay to take stock. It is okay to slow down, especially in January and reflect on ourselves. Reflect on nature and what you enjoyed over the last 12 months. It is okay to not be fast-moving every minute of every day but to evaluate and compose yourself.
Finding Inspiration
For Christmas this year, I asked for the Kinfolk Travel book. On the opening pages, it said, “The focus is on how we travel rather than where we travel. For it is possible to feel just as inspired ten miles from home as it is ten thousand.” These words spoke volumes to me as they can also be said for our lives in general. It’s important to embrace how our lives are lived as much as where. I do say this a lot but I do mean it when I say ‘love where you live.’ Because if you can look for the positives in your city then you are going to feel better about stepping outside your front door. Instead of rushing to follow the growth-obsessed gurus we should be stopping, looking at ourselves and embracing who we are as a person. Finding contentment in the little things. Stepping out into nature and listening to our bodies. Looking inward for answers to what we want to achieve. Whether that is to have better relationships with ourselves or others or a plan of getting the best out of life.
Understanding Advice
I woke up on January the 2nd and felt anxious. I have so much I need to do with work and yet it is so easy to focus on what needs to happen rather than reflecting on what I have achieved as a person. I then looked at one of my favourite street artists, ‘Faunagraphic‘ as she did a New Year post, and she really grounded me and brought me back to where I needed to be.
Her words were, ” Stay positive and fresh.. Don’t let bad thoughts win.
If everything was easy it would be boring right?
Work with the challenges you are given, nothing is a competition. You’re only competing with yourself ..
Go as far as you want, slow down as much as you want.
Nobody else cares what you are doing or how fast you do it. So take care of yourself”.
Look inside yourself – instead of out, outside at others
I can only be ultimately thankful for my health, and that my family is safe and warm each night.”
January Motivation
When debating on your January, I am not saying don’t motivate yourself, just do it for the right reasons and you will always be on the right path. Following self-obsessed gurus who can be fake, means you can get wrapped up in a world of unrealistic goals. It is far better to accept who you are and then set gentle goals than to try to live up to high demands and New Year resolutions that you can’t sustain for a long time.
Most importantly be kind to yourself. If you can do that and look inside rather than comparing your work, and your life to others then you can seek what you truly need and want. The old saying, ‘The grass is always greener’ is a true saying, stop looking across at your neighbour’s patch and dig deep and concentrate on your garden and it will not only grow but flourish. On that note, I might buy some bulbs to look forward to Spring. It is only 77 Days 6 Hours 7 Minutes 45 Seconds until Spring officially begins!
If you would like other January posts to read that offer a kind gentle start to the new year, then click here.
