I don’t know who decided to start the new year in January. I know it wasn’t a mom or a Midwesterner who made the decision. January is hard. It’s cold. It’s snowy. It’s hard to get out of the house. The kids are upset about returning to school after such a long break. Someone is likely to have a cold. I don’t know about you, but I don’t exactly feel like resolving to make my life better when it’s 10 degrees outside, and it gets dark before 6 pm. I’d like to petition to celebrate New Year’s in the spring.
In the spring, everything comes to life again. The sun stays out past dinnertime, the weather warms up, and people go outside again. It’s the perfect time to set goals and resolutions.
January, on the other hand, is a good time to be still. To set some cozy goals. In January, I want to lay in bed and watch the snow fall from my window. I want to read a new book, binge-watch the newest “Virgin River” season, and stay in pajamas on the weekends. I want to try baking sourdough bread and commit to making a weekly batch of chocolate chip cookies for my kids. I want to do the types of exercise that I enjoy and focus on adding more nutritious foods to my plate instead of taking things away.
In January, I don’t want to make plans. Coming off of two months of holiday celebrations, I’d rather hibernate instead. I want to go for walks in the snow, drink hot chocolate in front of the fireplace, and watch my kids play with their new toys.
In the spring, I’ll push myself more. Hopefully, the winter sicknesses and the last snowstorm will be behind us, and my seasonal depression will fade away as my energy kicks in. Then, I will revisit my New Year’s resolutions. Until then, here’s to a cozy new year.
