Seasons - Midwinter Resolutions

New Year is not the time to stop doing things; it’s a time to start doing new things, particularly if you live in the UK or anywhere else in the Northern hemisphere.  We are in the deepest midwinter with less than half the hours of daylight than we get in midsummer, so making life even harder than it already is seems daft to me. 

I say we should follow Mother Nature with her seasons and cycles of life and growth.  Animals go into hibernation, birds migrate and plants are dormant at this time of year.

In winter the trees are not dead, the sap slowly stops rising as the temperature drops, the leaves crisp and curl and the winter winds blow them away leaving the tree to rest, to regenerate, standing strong against the gales of the season.

Old bad habits need to be challenged, but every year resolutions are broken because it is the worst time of year for us to give up comfort.  Those of us in the Northern hemisphere know we still have to endure lack of daylight and sunshine for many weeks yet.  Why not choose to tackle your big challenges when life is a little easier, with the climate a little kinder?

You may even be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).  If you are not familiar with SAD check out www.SAD.org.uk which explains how lack of daylight and sunshine can affect us. It also offers ways to combat this feeling of winter blues.  It’s worth a look even if you are only mildly affected by the seasons.

A fresh start

The Calendar can be a useful tool to help us make new beginnings.  So instead of focusing on what to stop doing, find something that you have always wanted to do but never gotten round to.  Begin by writing a list of things you would like to be Be, Do or Have and keep going until you have exhausted every possibility.  Keep picking up the list over the course of a few days adding to it until you are satisfied.   Then prioritise your list and select the one thing you want the most.  Start with this one first.

Now the most important part, do make a start.  Don’t procrastinate, make your first step easy, but make a start.  Small steps done on a regular basis always bring great results.  If you need to gather more information, then start gathering.  If you want to take up art, pick up a pencil and start drawing.

If you are not sure about what you would like to do, here are some ideas to get your imagination going. 

Indoor Creative time

Reading, drawing, painting, performing arts, needlework, learning to play a musical instrument, collecting, cooking, baking, scrapbooking, dancing, jewellery making, singing, woodworking, photography, guided relaxation or yoga.

 If you have a smart phone then check out your apps store to give you more ideas and help get you started or surf the net to spark your enthusiasm.

Build into your life things that will help you grow and feel fulfilled.  That’s what we need to do in the New Year.  The good news is every day it is getting that little bit lighter.

For one to one Skype coaching sessions contact Susan on susan@susanloveday.com or visit susanloveday.com for more information.