January… it seems we either love it or hate it.  I happen to be in the former category, but admit that for years I was one who dreaded it.  It’s winter after all, and here in Minnesota that can be dreary. Our winters can last well into March, even April, so I get it when my friends and neighbors fall into that second category… finding January a bit depressing.  If you find you feel the same way, don’t despair! It’s possible to turn that view around and actually enjoy this time of year.

Though it has taken a while, I now consider January to be a breath of fresh air! Turning my calendar over elicits an audible sigh of contentment. The busyness of the holidays is behind me, and a whole year of fresh possibilities awaits.  It feels like a clean canvas on which to create what I want in my life!

I wonder…what would happen if we simply allowed January to be the quiet month, with no big expectations, and accepted the invitation to ponder what’s possible… to fill that empty canvas… to create our best year yet?

In this space of “anything is possible,” I enjoy reviewing what has meaning in my life. I look for things to release and things to add in order to live my life more authentically and with more joy!  It’s kind of like putting my inner house in order and imagining how this next fabulous year will look.

To be clear… I’m not talking about making new year’s resolutions.  Why? I believe for the most part those resolutions (which are often forgotten before spring arrives) are based on the premise that we need to be “better” or do “more”. That we aren’t perfectly OK just as or where we are. Perhaps instead of fixing ourselves or our lives, we ought to take this time to simply relax and honor ourselves for who we truly are, discerning our gifts and our desires and finding ways to celebrate both.

Let January be the month you seek solitude and reconnect with your inner self.  Join me in this opportunity to pause, take stock of our lives, and intentionally create the year ahead…  to envision bringing your own dreams to life. Take a deep breath. Breathe in possibility, breathe out intention, and share your experience in the comments below!

It’s a quiet season. Let January be “a breath of fresh air” for you.

With wonder and possibility,

~ Mary