November; you’re a tricky one!

November has to be one of my least favourite months. For me personally, it’s always one of my busiest, usually with so many events happening for my stage school and exams at my teaching jobs but I think it goes deeper than that. I’ve written the fewest blogs to date this month. I’ve just not felt as positive and driven in my pursuit of writing as I normally am. Once I start writing, happy days, I’m fine, but it feels like I had to physically force myself to sit at the computer and dedicate time for this blog today. Normally of course I skip to the computer!

I realise in November I start reflecting back on my new year’s resolutions from last Christmas (which do seem to get weaker every year!) and realise, oh dear, yep, I didn’t keep or achieve my wish list AGAIN. Christmas is getting closer (happy days) but still seems an age away (and yikes, I haven’t done hardly any Christmas shopping yet, nor will my bank balance allow me to). The weather is persistently awful, wet, cold, grey, miserable. The heating bill is enormous, the windows need replacing, is that damp in the corner of my house?, why are my feet like ice blocks 24 hours a day…….so not the most inspiring and positive thoughts throughout a normal day in November.

I’ve been scrolling online to get some inspiration today of suggestions to improve November, and I’ve come across November calendars that you can follow which focus on self care, happiness and re-energising you during the month. Normally I would be all over this. I would love to follow a plan like this but right now, I just don’t have the motivation for it. And you know what, that’s ok. Sometimes, you have to just keep going. Do what’s needed then veg out on the sofa in the evening. Christmas and all the excitement it brings, is just around the corner, so girl, just keep going until then. I will endeavour to keep doing the things that make me happy – practise my yoga and write my blogs but I’m not going to add to my (a tad grumpy) mood by beating myself up if I don’t do it every single day. Having said that, I can also follow the little things I’ve already spoken about in my blogs – such as lifting the corners of my mouth when doing ordinary tasks and saying good morning positively to the first person I see – it’s hardly time consuming or takes that much effort. And in turn, this helps me to feel that little bit better. Smile even when you’re not feeling it because the body will naturally release those endorphins and you will feel better because of it. I already have the tools available to me to make the month that little bit more manageable; I don’t need a whole new calendar right now.

And anyway there’s only a few days left of November. December – I’m ready for you!