January blues???

How do you feel about January? Do you feel down during the cold dark nights and rainy days? Or are you among the smaller percentage of the British population who relish in the whole hyggeliscious that is the winter months?

Personally I adore January almost as much as Christmas. Having two children and working in the holistic industry it is such a joy to me to look at my January calendar and see how empty it is!

After the craziness that was December, the busy days, endless shopping, to do lists and hours scrolling the internet for that perfect present etc etc, to have a whole month ahead of me with no plans that is just free to do anything myself and my family choose to do. Its my thinking and planning time, my time to gain a bit of perspective, rediscover my loves and go inwards.

My question to you is, why do so many of us dislike the winter months, more so those after the festive season? There is of course SAD, which I do not deny a great deal of people suffer with, but is it only this or is it that in today's world, where the busier we are the more brownie points we give ourselves, we are also simply going against nature and denying our minds and bodies what we need?

Come January we make our resolutions and from the 1st day we begin restricting ourselves to a regime with little or no flexibility. We put ourselves on a no carb diet at the time our body will most crave wholesome foods. Commit to hour long runs in the winter rain or gym sessions straight after work, when all we really want to is come home to a warm home and relax, so is it any wonder we begin to feel miserable? Other animals are still hibernating so why, when it is the most natural thing to do are we working against this?