Let me kick right off by saying that since moving to Skellefteå I am definitely not a New Year resolution maker.
When I was younger I always vowed to become a ‘better me’. To leap out of bed each morning at 5am, go running, become a skilled yoga goddess and wake my beautifully joyful children from their slumber to a perfect breakfast before school while I sipped on spirulina. Yeah, right.
These resolutions did not bring me joy; quite the opposite in fact.
All I gained was a massive feeling of incompetence and failure. I am very glad to say that as I got older and learned to accept myself for who I am, I came to realise that I am not that bad actually and perhaps just trying my best is good enough.
I also realised that January is the absolute worst time to make any changes, big or small, radical or otherwise.
You see, while we humans are forcing change upon ourselves, trying to twist and manipulate both our minds and bodies into being something they are naturally not, the rest of the world is in deep slumber.
The rest of the animal kingdom is taking it slow, at least that part of the realm in the northern hemisphere. It literally makes no sense to be starting a new way of life, or encouraging huge changes, at a time when every other creature is taking stock, slowing down and adapting gradually to the surrounding environment.
Mother Nature is clearly telling us that now is a time for rest, for contemplation and thoughtfulness. A time to surround oneself with warmth, comfort and those dearest to us, to keep the fires burning and the food store full.
It is no wonder then, that my desire to make resolutions in January has now (and gladly I might add) withered. Instead, what I choose to do is hunker down and think about the things that I might like to realistically achieve within the next few months.
And as winter begins to loosen her grip a little and the sun decides to bless us with her presence a little longer each day, I start to feel more productive. To slowly start to peel back the layers of the winter cocoon I have wrapped myself in. It is then that I begin to put into place the plans and changes I need to facilitate to move forward into the year. And it feels good and it feels right.
There is no start date or end date; I just work with Mother Nature instead of against her.
This is a column and the views are the author's own.
This column was originally published at norran.se/english, the English part om norran.se.