The month of January is a month in which I am prone to a period of feeling down, below par.

This year is turning out to be no exception, however, I have noticed a new sense of resilience to feelings of being depressed, helpless and anxious.

Its a feeling of sensing the January Blues without actually having them.

I’m not depressed, I’m lively and alert and articulate.

I’m not helpless, I’m active and busy and comfortable being at rest.

I’m not anxious, I’m thriving, despite feeling under a lot of pressure at work and feeling overwhelmed with issues at home too.

My coaching experience has enabled me to be present in whatever my day to day experience brings and to use all powers at my disposal to deflect away a tendency which I had in the past to succumb to my mood and lose energy and interest.

It is ludicrous to write-off January and wish it away – it is a 12th of my life and I am determined to experience this cold and dark season as positively as I can.

I’ve slept more hours – and what is wrong with that, I’ve cut down the alcohol, I’ve run and lost the Christmas lbs and I’ve painted a watercolour and even picked up my book.

Yesterday I watched a box set – 5 one hour episode of a police drama and I have not felt one bit guilty for it – I needed the rest and stimulation and the distraction and I took it for myself.

In the background my old fears and feelings linger as if they were a bird of prey circling for movement in the long grass below.

I’ve grown the long grass, I’ve developed a sense of safety and resilience from the January Blues and I’m the one making the most of what each day brings by living them in the present.

My next blog will be: The Newsletter

William Defoe