OK so i’m going to put it out there, I love January…..! 

I know, it sounds crazy - it’s cold, grey & dark & we are all skint. Add to that feeling rubbish from doing little more exercise than prising open Quality Street tins and it’s a recipe for some seriously low days. 

So why do we feel that it is the right time to surmount some of our biggest hurdles, setting resolutions that are likely to add to the misery & we are almost certain to fail at?

January changed for me when I changed my mind set, moving away from setting unrealistic resolutions & focusing instead on positive intentions. If ever there was a month to love yourself it’s this one! 

After the excesses of Christmas taking down the decorations, clearing space in my diary & just getting back to some sense of normality is a relief. I thought I would share some of my thoughts for this years intentions so you can all help keep me on the straight & narrow (spoiler alert - I will absolutely not even be thinking about dry January!)

Intention Number One - ‘Get over myself’

I know, this one does sound a bit odd, so I better explain!

So I have come to realise that I've been avoiding doing things that I think i’m not good at. This is particularly strange as one of the number one things I admire in others is the ability to have a go, not worrying if they fail. 

The biggest way I am going to do this is actually dare to show some images of myself on Frankly’s social media. For lots of you this will seem not a big thing i’m sure, but for me to accept the way I look on a photo is huge! I am EVEN going to do some product videos to share some of the amazing thoughtful, ethical Frankly brand stories. Watch this space!

I am also going to push myself out of my comfort zone, trying out different activities that I feel I can’t do. I thought I would jump straight in with an Argentine Tango class last night…… (to imagine me dancing think particularly uncoordinated giraffe on ice….). Honestly, this wasn’t the dance for me but I had a giggle, next on the list is a ‘show girl dance master class’!!!  

Intention Number Two - ‘Practice self-care’

After the whirl-wind of Christmas I massively feel the need to strip back & make a little breathing space. I don’t mean through unachievable activities like spa days & long lone walks (2 x kids, a new business & a house constantly in chaos is not conducive to this!) but through making space for small rituals. Taking inspiration from the Self Care Co. I will be lighting a natural soy peppermint & eucalyptus candle on my desk as I work. I will make myself a pot of loose leaf tea. I will treat myself to Kushboo's Lavender & Lemon natural soap. I may even manage to clear some space in my diary & read the paper one Sunday morning….!

Intention Number Three - ‘Be more thoughtful’

This intention slightly relies on the success of intention number two. I find that when I am busy & stressed everything piles on me & I can’t think thoughtfully about myself or others. By thoughtful I mean being conscious in my actions. So I will continue to try to consume more thoughtfully - shopping ethically, locally & chartiably. 

When I launched Frankly I did so as I wanted to make it easier for you all to find brands that are ethical, sustainable & give back, brands that are all in one place saving you time trawling the internet or high-street. I am a big believer in that no one is perfect, you can’t beat yourself up over the emergency Amazon purchase you needed to make because you are about to drop all those balls you are juggling. Don’t make yourself feel bad, just look to feel good about being thoughtful when you can be.

So hurray for January - time of new starts, clearing cupboards & setting intentions! (Next up is February…. Not sure there is a lot of good I can say about THAT month!)

xxx