Top 10 Ways to Beat the January Blues

Or, how a Florida girl can survive without any sunlight...

As January finally dies a slow death, I thought it was appropriate to take note of what I need to do at the beginning of every year to beat the listlessness of a grey and cold start of the year in England.

1. Eat all remaining Christmas chocolate, including random Christmas recipe ingredients that never made the final cut.

2. Drink copious amounts of coffee, both normal and luxury Starbucks to ensure energy levels are always high.

3. Spend time working on your challenging situations and delight in little triumphs.

4. Have some quality time with people you like, mainly this includes the husband.

5. Slap a smile on your face and try to ignore negative comments from the people you don't like. This includes avoiding falling prey to The Starter of Arguments.

6. Delight in yourself being extraordinary.

7. Remember what you have, don't dwell on what you WANT.

8. Do one thing every day to make your dreams happen, this may negate the first point, if your dream is to finally reach your goal weight.

9. Be assertive, you're American, people expect it.

10. Laugh at every thing you find funny, laughter is the best medicine after all.

Speaking of laughter, the following photo makes me laugh and miss my little brothers in an odd, nostalgic way. Come and visit me freak boys!

2010...

I had a half decade write-up in draft mode on this blog since before the strike of midnight on the 31st of December 2009. But, alas, I haven't finished it. I don't usually abandon things left un-done; but this time I think it's a bit counterproductive.

The decade that encompassed the "noughties," (a term I hate), had a lot of ups and downs for me. The ups are that I: fell in love, endured a long distance relationship, graduated high school and college, travelled back and forth to the UK and a few other places, met some great people, laughed a lot, made some lifelong friends, and finally started doing something about my speech. The downs are that: I lost quite a few people I loved, and still love. Some of these losses were anticipated and the realization of others blew all anticipation out of the water. I've cried and mourned a lot in the latter part of the last decade.

But I've persevered. The last decade brought challenges not only to me personally, but to world as a whole. We've faced natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and a war that is still very much on-going.

This new year, this new decade, has also brought the realization that some things never change; or that the world is always changing. There will always be natural disasters like the earthquake in Hiati, there will always be people to mourn.

So, why do I feel more optimistic now than I ever have? I suppose knowing that I've come out the other side of some really tough situations gives me hope for the future.

I am going to make this my year. I'm going to put in 110% into everything and see where life takes me. As a very wise person said to me recently, just wing it and hope for the best.