'I love the January Blues 'Cause it's naked and it's true'

It’s fair to say that January as a month is the epitome of an anti-climax - "a disappointing end to an exciting or impressive series of events". 

After the razzle-dazzle, fun and frivolity of Christmas and New Year, January is going to feel at best a tad disappointing, but for some downright depressing.  There's the inevitable back-to-work blues; the cold, damp ,grey weather; dark afternoons; even darker mornings; coughs, colds and flu bugs aplenty. For many the feeling of wanting to escape and hibernate is all too real. (maybe one of these could come in useful...)

To make matters worse, we put ourselves under the added pressure and self-imposed guilt of trying to change our ingrained habits by cutting back on our drinking, avoiding foods we love and signing up to Dry January or Veganuary or whatever new fangled tortures we can impose on ourselves in the darkest of months, pushing our weary will power to the limit. 

The events of the last week have made an already tricky month even more challenging.  So many people I know have reported having sleepless nights and/or erratic, crazy dreams and just not being able to put a finger on why they feel so completely out of sorts.  There was an eclipse Wolf moon last week (the first full moon of January is known as a Wolf moon and last week's also coincided with a penumbral lunar eclispe) so that might have something to do with it.

But equally the dreadful stories on the news this last week or so must also have taken their toll on our collective psyches.  My brother lives in Australia and so I have heard first hand devastating stories about the fires there.  Then the dangerous sabre rattling of war hungry world leader's, with airstrikes and very real threats of violence culminating in the tragic Ukrainian airliner being wrongly shot down in Iran last Wednesday. My daughter would be forgiven for asking, "Is World War 3 starting?".  

I started this blog with a line from a song I found by an artist called Lukka Bloom, called the January Blues.   However, far from being depressing and down beat, his lyrics are real, accepting, a celebration even of this rather depressing and down-beaten month. 

The lyrics also rang true to me personally, as this January, the first month of a brand new decade, I decided to do it differently to previous years.  I said NO to the diet (despite knowing i do need to shed some pounds), NO to going dry for the month (I love a glass of wine and a glass of wine loves me!) or starting a new exercise regime I would never keep up (I'm wise to those gym memberships that never get used).  Instead I made a promise to myself to eat nice things, drink less but drink better, and not feel guilty for not being dry or Vegan for a few token weeks.  I promised to go out for more walks in our glorious countryside (yes even though it's a quagmire it's still beautiful), to do more of the things that make me feel happy and to treat myself.  And  treat myself  I did.  I splashed out on some new Dita Von Teese underwear (yes, even though I have a shop full of gorgeous under things, it still feels nice to indulge myself) and I invested in some wonderful cashmere tights to keep me warm (they feel a-mazing!!). (You can find our current beautiful selection of hosiery here)

Despite my teenager wanting to obsess over the new series of Love Island with those impossibly fit young things parading around in bikinis with not an ounce of fat to share between them, (and despite the brutal knowledge I will never, EVER look that fit and beautiful again), I decided to instead be grateful for the body I have, celebrate my soft wrinkles (I call them smile lines:-))), nurture my health and mind and focus on and embrace all the positives, including the many people in my life I love and who love me.  But most importantly, I promised to love myself.  Because self love is the key to high self esteem, positivity and happiness.

So I urge you this cold, dark January night, in Lukka's words to...  

Celebrate these short ,dark January days; it's a time for cosying up, hibernating a bit, eating well, nurturing yourself and your loved ones.  Allow yourself the time to come back to a happier, healthier, better place.  Know the days will get lighter; the news will not always be bad; the moon will keep rising and the blues will pass. Be kind to the loved ones around you. Treat yourself to something indulgent just for you without feeling guilt.  But most importantly of all, love yourself.

The January Blues
I love the January Blues
'Cause it's naked and it's true
I love the January Blues
Sometimes I love the January Blues
The low sun kissing our town
The ways we all get through
Some fly away, Some go Underground
So come home to your night
And give your time some time
Wait there for the moon
The moon and the stars to rhyme
The January Blues
I love the January Blues
'Cause it's naked and it's true
I love the January Blues