For me, January is not a month for making big plans and punishing resolutions. For years, It was. I loved the idea of new challenges; a clean, blank slate for a brand new year. However, as time has gone by, the last few months of the year push me to my limits and I actually long for January. 

 

I treat it almost as a present to myself; a time to slow down, heal and replenish. A month to be calm, to hunker down and be kind to myself.  Do the things that I've wanted to but haven't found the time to do so. I try to be at home more so I can sort and organise; restocking cupboards, printing off photos and making albums, finding new recipes to nourish the family; I want to spend time pouring over the seed catalogues that are stacking up on my desk. Sow my sweet peas, leisurely choose which dahlia tubers to order…  

 

I spent the last two months of the year with a lot of lower back pain and am realising that as I get older (I’m literally about to turn 40!) I can't get away with living on adrenalin and doing everything at a million miles an hour for my exercise. This year I'm going to re-take up Yoga. For the third time!  Starting with the apparently wonderful Adrienne’s free 30 days of online yoga on YouTube. I still struggle to meditate but breathing I can do;  I love the Verden app for its simple practices and when I need to calm, nothing beats Wim Hoff’s 11-minute guided breathing practice.

 

I'm going to allow myself to sit and read, guilt-free.  I received India Knight’s new book, 'Darling' for Christmas which is as brilliant as it is beautiful; I was instantly absorbed and trying not to read it too fast!  have just finished Georgie Abay’s Best Laid Plans which resonated in so many ways and also highly recommend (read our interview with Georgie here).  

 

This time of year is particularly harsh on our skin and a combination of that, stress and hormones (I had a hysterectomy last year, more on that another day) means a little bit more time and attention is needed on that front.  I was given a CurrentBody UV light face mask for Christmas which I'm told has miraculous properties, you wear it for 10 minutes a day. Or as and when you can.  I use it lying on the floor for double brownie health points.

 

Carrying on the mask theme, top of my list at the moment are Sisley’s Velvet Sleeping mask, Dermalogica’s Hydro Mask and De Mamiel’s Skin Recovery, of which I rotate on a loop. I am making a daily habit of taking Collagen in my single cup of coffee with Ingenious collagen powder.

But as much as I do love January, it can feel pretty bleak at times, so filling it with colour is my best antidote. I'm heading straight to Colourful Standard who do a fabulous line in super-chic primary-coloured tracksuits which I’ll wear with my jade green Monica Vinader rings to brighten the school runs and fill our kitchen with our pink and red stripey linens, bright blue candles and Willow bud vases filled with bright yellow mimosa. More colour = more joy.