Tag: januaryblues

Cosy Season; Warming Fires, Home Cooked Dinners & Long Date Nights In

January 14, 2024

Happy Sunday! It’s been another cosy winter weekend spent snuggled on the sofa watching movies, enjoying warming cups of tea and taking time in the kitchen to cook hearty, nutritious meals. As we find ourselves in this coldest part of the year, I embrace the slower pace of life and really appreciate the small things like getting wrapped up and heading for a drink at the local pub on a Friday night.

Winter fashion is all about layering and brings with it opportunity for accessorising with cute hats and scarves too. I was channelling my inner French girl on Friday with my brown knitted beret to complete this casual chic look I put together. I’m living in neutral tones and rich browns this season.

Stopping by our local pub The Mutton to catchup with my parents on Friday evening, I decided to treat myself to an indulgent Baileys Espresso Martini by the fire.

This was the perfect concoction of smooth roasted coffee mixed with sweet creamy Baileys, a delicious drink to sip as I warmed up by the fire.

Saturday soon rolled around and after finishing my weekly house clean, I curled up on the sofa with a book and hot cup of tea. For me January is about self-care and doing things which bring me happiness, not restriction and punishment which is what society has taught us to engage in during this month of the year.

Instead I choose to indulge in the little things like buying fresh flowers for the house and saying yes to a cocktail at the pub. Life’s too short to be denying ourselves anything which might bring us joy.

Date night this weekend we chose to stay in at home and I cooked us a healthy nutritious meal for two. Cod with a white Pinos Gris wine for her, sirloin steak with a red Malbec wine for him, both served with my special crispy roasted new potatoes, stir fried asparagus tips, broccoli and a rocket salad.

I personally love spending time in the kitchen and feeding myself whole foods which I’ve made from scratch. This meal was hearty, nutritious and super yummy, we both finished every last morsel on our plates before cuddling on the sofa and watching a movie.

So lets change the perspective on January being the month of dieting and removing things we actually enjoy from our weekly routines, and instead think about adding things which nourish your mind, body and soul to bring you pleasure and help you thrive throughout the winter season. Whether it’s adding more colourful vegetables to your meals or simply enjoying a glass of wine on a Sunday evening, be kind to yourself this month and don’t let the pressures of society make you think otherwise. Join the self love club babes ❤

Kicking those January Blues

January 18, 2021

Happy Blue Monday… a contradiction in itself, but I won’t let statistics and the media tell me to feel my most depressed on this one specific day!? I have happy days, I have productive days, I have lazy days, I have low days; they come and go in ebbs and flows, it’s called life. January is always seen as a month to start fresh, set new goals and almost repent for the fun you have had over the festive period. However I would like to share a different perspective on this seemingly dark, unwelcome month to help kick those blues.

I guess the simplest way of putting it, is to let yourself be. Depriving yourself of the things you love during these winter months is of course going to make you sad and depressed. Setting unrealistic goals which are unreachable will only result in disappointment and feelings of failure. Instead be kind to yourself by feeding the mind, body and soul with all the good stuff: take a bubble bath, read a good book, go for a walk in nature, buy a bunch of flowers, dress up in your favourite clothes, go grab a coffee from the drive-thru, have a glass of wine, indulge in a yummy bar of chocolate – whatever brings you pleasure in life. It’s important to strike a balance and get an abundance of nutrients during the winter, so make sure to maintain a healthy diet whilst treating yourself to these goodies too!

I like to come up with a list of intentions for the week ahead as opposed to solid goals and targets. These are usually things which focus on self-care to navigate my day and help nourish my future self. I want to be more present in my day, so aiming to do more meditation, reading and journaling on the daily is a must. Getting outside during daylight hours is always a mood booster and great for practicing complete presence in nature and appreciation for your surroundings.

So don’t be blue this Monday, simply write out a few weekly intentions and go do something today that brings you happiness and joy ❤