January has historically been the hardest month of the year for me.
Out of all 12 months, it’s the furthest from summer. It’s cold and it’s dark. All. The. Time.
You get up early, it’s dark. You get home late, it’s dark. The years I worked at a desk away from a window were the worst – feeling drowsy constantly, a lack of vitamin d and a sprinkle of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) keeping me at a constant low.
It’s been the month that has triggered anxiety – whether it be during university exams, getting back into work, or a sudden realisation that my birthday is just two months away – and I’ve made horrible decisions because of it.
Off to a good start
This year, I’m really happy to say it’s been the complete opposite. Firstly, it’s the first time I’ve been started the year working for myself, so I’ve avoided standing on a dark train station platform at the crack of dawn, or facing cycling in the cold. My commute is down my kitchen stairs – which suits lazy ol’ me just fine!
It’s also enabled me to take control of time, and my best working patterns. I work well at night, and I’m not really a morning person, so while I still aim to be at my desk for 9:30, I don’t push myself too hard in the morning and instead get into a good flow after lunchtime and into the evening. Blogging is often sporadic too, with events happening in the day, in the evening, and even on weekends, so I’ve made the most of this.
Second, I’ve been much more aware of my SAD from past experience, so I’ve been able to preempt it somewhat. I’ve made an active effort to be more social, and with a little help from my friends I’ve staved off loneliness. I’ve also been less critical of myself (and my lack of working out or meditating). And I’ve kept up a few wellness rituals that I’ll be sharing with you later this week.
Peaks…
Finding happiness. I feel truly happy where I’m at – and I’m trying to spread this as much as I can. I’ve been given an incredible opportunity to act as an ethical lifestyle influencer, and I really do hope that my posts go further than simply look nice – I want to make change, even in the smallest way, and I feel like I’m starting to do that now.
Writing writing writing. This month saw me write a blog post almost every weekday, and I’ve loved it! This has included more articles for The Huffington Post and also a few commissions on ethical luxury platform Positive Luxury – if you are into high-end fashion, they’re well worth checking out.
Playing with my style. As I continue to work towards a capsule wardrobe, this month saw me start planning for my curated closet, and play with my style somewhat. I’m looking forward to summarising my Style Diary in February, and also beginning to identify key elements!
…and troughs
Being time rich + money poor. Working for yourself means you’re basically an entire business in one person. I’ve been getting by with a combination of brand collaborations and copywriting gigs, but it doesn’t compare to my usual salary and it’s meant I’ve had to enjoy my free-time and curb my spending to compensate.
Not quite acing my aesthetic. I don’t think I’m quite there yet – despite the new logo tying everything together, I feel like my Instagram feed could be more minimalist, and my posts too. It’d be great to get tips from anyone who has an eye for photography/art direction!
Onto month two
With February on our doorstep, I’m hoping to keep up the contentment (as much as the content!) and also have a few great brand collabs planned that I can’t wait to show you… Plus who knows how my ethical wardrobe will be by the end of next month!
Do you have anything exciting planned for February? Let me know below!
