THE POST-CHRISTMAS LULL / AND HOW I PLAN TO GET OUT OF IT

This blog post is purely for accountability, of course. You see, I am very well versed in the habit of wishful thinking without much mindful action. Who knows, maybe the 2020s will be my decade.

The festive season felt precisely unfestive this year. Having returned from New Zealand only a few days before the big day, it was hard to get myself geared up and in the holiday spirit - and considering I don't drink, I was leaving it to my siblings to get the holiday spirits in. Coming from Summer to Winter was strange, particularly as neither felt like they should have, so I spent the month from mid-December to mid-January in a lull of averagely temperate weather that felt generally miserable. 

That's not to say the holidays didn't have their highlights. Our friend group celebrated Christmas with our seventh annual Christmas dinner and Secret Santa, my boyfriend and I baked our fourth annual Yule Log, and our family exchanged Secret Santas for the sixth year. There's something so magical about writing that out. The creation of new traditions feels so impossible until you can look back and realise that the year has passed and it's something you've actually been doing for ages.

A family trip to Disneyland Paris started our 2020 off in the best way possible. Disneyland has a special way of distorting perspective to make you feel like a crazy optimist. It's so easy to feel inspired, excited, loved and part of something incredible when you're in a place like that. 

Well, since Disneyland, The Job Hunt is officially on. And this is it: January is lasting 40 weeks; it's raining every single day; you're not checking your online banking because you're too scared to look. It occurred to me, that the post-Christmas lull is coming for me again. 

I decided to create a few goals to help with the never-ending January feels. Number one is to bring back an old hobby: this time is calling for a revival of the embroidery. I am going to start pinning on Pinterest, and will have started by the end of the weekend if all goes to plan *fingers crossed*.

I'm going to apply for jobs on the weekdays, and have weekends off - and make sure I send one application per day! Let's not forget my accountability statement at the beginning of this post.

I would like to feel nice in myself every day if I can, so whether that's doing my hair, going make-up free or doing a glitter smokey eye - I will roll with it. 

2019 was the year of the meal plan for me. It helped so much for portioning groceries and deciding what I actually needed and wanted from the shops, and I'm determined to carry on. 

Finally, I am attempting a 365-day Headspace streak. In 2019 I did a 30-day streak, and I fancied a challenge. Well, actually, I fancied the satisfaction of a 365-day streak. Nevertheless, it's difficult at the moment to get my mind to focus, but I hope with time I will be able to look forward to meditating again like I used to.

Get me some churros to get me through this January. Please.