Finding beauty in January
It’s absolutely ridiculous to me, both personally and professionally, that January is the time to set personal goals and resolutions. It’s January, for God’s sake! It’s bleak and blustering, and you’re broke, burdened with bills, and bloated from bingeing. No fun for anyone! So whoever invented the “new year/new you” plan is just plain nuts in my opinion.
So what can you do to get yourself through the winter blues? Find something beautiful, something inspirational, something magical, in the unexpected: I served green and bean soup (yes, last week’s detox recipe) in my grandmother’s old tea-cup; I wore a really sparkly t-shirt to Gymboree (my fashionista sister taught me this trick); I used lovely dishsoap to wash the pots and pans. Little treats (no, not the edible kind)…just small gifts to give to yourself and your loved ones, regularly. Things like: a new lipstick (my sister got me a Chanel one to wear EVERYDAY!), delicious and exotic teas in a pretty tea-pot for one, and unique post-cards (and a fresh pack of stamps) to send out quick notes-for-no-reason to brighten up someone else’s day.
Last week, my beloved sister and I took a random trip to Allan Gardens, a beautiful escape right in the heart of Toronto. We only had an hour to have a quick business meeting, and neither of us felt sharp or motivated. However, amidst the flowers, the tropical greenery, the calming waterfalls and koi ponds, it was easy to set personal goals and plan for the future, and forget the fifty shades of grey in the melting Toronto snow banks. Because when you can find something beautiful, especially when it comes from somewhere unexpected, it can enlighten even the darkest of days. So create beauty, search for it, and most importantly, look for it this winter.