My Gentle January

Truthfully, that was a blur of a few months that only weaved itself together by a thread of holidays and events. Now that the cold and dark is starting to settle in and the heaviness of winter has reached my doorstep, I’m preparing for a Gentle January.

Gentle January is for everyone. It’s a way to personalize a January that is fit to your measurements. Years ago I realized that coming off the holidays to a bleak, guilt-ridden January was not for me. So, instead of buying into the idea that I would have to erase all the bad eating that has been done, I chose to create my own routine.

The goal is simple: be gentle on yourself. Create a space, a routine, and choices that will only benefit your mental health and set you on the road for a successful winter. Last year I decided to wake up with the sun, be regimented about taking my vitamin D, and always have a mug of hot tea at night before bed. I don’t know what’s best for your January, but I’m betting you know what it is. Make these goals something little, something achievable. You’re on your way.

This is what my Gentle January looks like

I’ve taken some time off from the blog (Hi! I’m still here though). I just needed some time to rest. Some time to miss it. And, I really have.

We started out our year in Nashville. We ate our way through hot chicken, Goo Goo Clusters, and nanner puddin. We tasted moonshine and found a local spot to watch some football. I spent hours on a velvet bar stool pouring out my soul with an old friend. It was hard to fit 15 years into a Friday evening but we did it. I saw Elvis’ gold-plated Cadillac and I made a mental note to buy one when I have my own cooking show. I drifted past and through Broadway with the bumping of music guiding my heartbeats and steps. I met a new friend and realized, once again, how lucky I am to have found this space.

I’ll be back to work as soon as the wheels touch down. I’m ready for routine again and that creative space that comes with a clean, sparse house. I’ve got a lot to achieve this year and waking up before the sun will help me do just that.

I’ll still take my nightly tea and daily vitamin D, but I’ll also raise a book or two, lots of true crime podcasts, and definitely give a second go at watching the new Little Women film.

What’s your January going to look like? Full of some simple pleasures, I hope. Maybe it’s going back to your therapist after a long break or deciding to buy a bigger pair of jeans. You know what it needs to be, friends.