The Joy of January

I was writing in my cosy kitchen corner, this morning, as I am want to do, before the world wakes up and the energy of a hundred thousand souls enters my field and the very cheerful voice on Six Music reminded me it was the day that is referred to as Blue Monday. Now, I am not one to police anyone else’s feelings and the third Monday in January may well indeed be blue for many but, something that has helped me in my journey to heightened self-awareness is reminding myself to slow down, pay attention and notice the small moments of joy in every day. Brene Brown’s oft-quoted research on the markers of whole hearted people is that they cultivate play, creativity and gratitude. They don’t have some special armour that protects them from heartbreak, grief and arseholes, cause these things are a given, however, their innate belief that they deserve to have good things in life means they notice it more. Energy out=energy in, I say. For that reason, I thought I would publish my weekly dispatch a little early in the form of this wee gem of a video that my son and his schoolfriend, Rose, helped create. They had a playdate yesterday and had planned to the detail what they wished to do. On the run up to Sunday, I was thinking about how excited they were to see each other out of school, and how we grown up’s bemoan January for feeling like it’s ten months long. We wish for it to be over, instead of using it as a calling card for how we want the year to treat us. More fun, more experiences and more prawn cocktail crisps please! What did you do, to shoo bleugh Monday away?