Let’s face it — January is not really known for its rip-roaring jollity. I don’t think I have ever heard anyone proclaim January (or February for that matter) to be their favourite month of the year. The distraction of Christmas has passed, the short days are still upon us, the dawning reality that the new year is not going to bring about some miraculous change has settled into our pores, a bit like the daily wintery drizzle and left us feeling a bit soggy and cold when we venture outside the four walls of our homes in perpetual search of inspiration.
Today in fact, is known as ‘Blue Monday’ — the most miserable day of the year so it seems apt to be writing this. And I am not here to convince you that it’s actually great. January is definitely my least favourite month of the year and one which, pre-COVID I would steadfastly try to avoid in the UK. Last year I was in Thailand. The year before that, South Africa. And one of my best memories ever was coasting down the River Niger in Mali in early January about 10 years ago, clocking that here I was in the country of my dreams, West African music in my ears while everyone at home was cramming onto trains to head back to the office.
Well, at least that’s not the case, right? Or are you fantasising about that now, longing for the post-Christmas return to work commute like a long-lost treasure? No, surely not. I am here to tell you that that was always a low point and never felt good!
I must admit that I have been spared some of the worst of the January Blues as a result of my pre-emptive house move. I didn’t choose the timing of it but as it turns out it delivered to me a change of scene and a new burst of energy just in the nick of time. I now have a new home in which to be locked down, a new sofa from which to watch Netflix, a new view from my WFH chair and new parks to walk around endlessly. I had fondly named The Edinburgh Meadows “The Prison Yard” to my dear friend with whom I often wandered there during last year’s lockdowns (please don’t take offence: clearly it is WAY nicer than any prison yard). Many have expressed their sympathy to me that Lockdown may have spoiled my arrival back down south. Rest assured — it has not. I feel like I am home with the added bonus of a sense of new adventure. For me it’s a perfect combination.
But no, I am not here to gloat either. I am here first of all simply to recognise the happy moments when they come. My mood is known to dip — even outside of pandemic times. It’s just the way I’m made. It’s always been the case. Perhaps it is for this reason that I have learned to notice and really treasure those days, weeks or sometimes just moments, when life feels ok, when I feel ok, when I feel “good in my skin” as the French say. It can be a moment when the sun comes out after days of rainy grey and streams through the blinds, suddenly finding colour in corners that had previously lain dark and drab. Or when I turn off the computer after completing another online Boot Camp and feel my heart pumping and the thrill of exercise and the hit of endorphins. Or the delight of the new Farmers’ Market where I queue in the rain for Italian cheese, bone broth (never thought I’d see the day) and other delicacies. Or when I take a walk on the Heath with an old friend I have not seen for years. These are small things but perhaps they are the stuff that dreams are made of in the same vein as Lennon’s line “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans”. And even in the midst of this interminable period of isolation, grief, anxiety and loss; even when all sense of balance in the world seems to have gone; even when friends and family and millions of strangers are beset with misfortune and even tragedy, these moments can still occur. We just need to be open enough to this possibility and to register them when they pass by.
And secondly, I am here to propose a possible remedy for those of you feeling touch of the January blues. And that is to do something creative. You don’t need to be artistic. You definitely don’t need to be “talented”. You just need to be willing to give it a go. I am convinced of the power of creativity to boost our wellbeing. It is a powerful tonic and resource. Trust me: it works. All you need is a pen and paper or a small box of pastels or a Spotify account or the camera on your phone. And the ability to step away from the busyness. Please — try it and if you want tips on how to get started, email me on kate@neonclc.com and I will send you my top tips and creative resources to get you going.