January Blahs? No Way!

Let me make this perfectly clear: I don’t love January’s cold weather, gray days, dingy snow, dark nights, and dark mornings. But, I do like what happens to ME in January. Regrettably, January 2010 is over! Unfortunately, the January ME usually disappears too.

It seems that I’m SO glad that the hustle and bustle of Christmas has passed, that I turn my energy toward things that I want to do. Yes, I mean ME, ME, ME. January equals NO major holidays, and NO major celebrations. I don’t mean to imply that January’s not a busy month. It's just a different kind of busy, a different pace. I make it a time for MY own renewal and fulfillment through busy stay-at-home activities.

My ME stuff:
1. I'm ready to dig in and clean out MY closets, tidy up MY home, take a few trips to DI. I actually like to organize stuff, and I think it’s much more productive to “Spring Clean” in January. Who wants to be in the house when spring comes?
2. I’ve usually eaten so much junk in December that I’m determined to eat better. I thumb through recipe books and try new healthy dishes… and keep MY hand away from the treats (well, not always). I ramp up MY walk at the Rec Center.
3. MY reading stays current with the new church curriculum and all Sunday lessons. I’m even reading The Old Testament Made Easier by David Ridges. Did you know that in this book, the commentary for Moses 5-7 extends from page 53 to 112? How long can I keep this up?
4. I choose good/fun new novels to read. I order a few books from Amazon. I buy some from the BYU bookstore. I “cozy up” with a blanket and read.
5. I open my blinds and enjoy MY view, especially on new snow days when the sky in blue, and the temperature is crisp. I live in the most beautiful place in the world.
6. I want to start a new project or work on an old one. I do love MY projects. The truth is, I have more unfinished projects than finished ones. Perhaps that’s because there’s only one January per year!
7. When I taught school, I loved the learning that took place in January. Hey kids, look at ME, ME, ME, and listen. They did. I planned, plotted, and created.

It’s February now. Groundhog Day today! My January Me could be melting.