January

I really like January. The promise of a new year, fresh beginnings and hope. This year more than ever I feel I am clinging onto the latter with both hands. Articles are starting to quote scientists who have optimism that the worst is behind us and I really want to ride that wave of hope with them. I don’t think mentally any of us are ready for months on end of little to no social contact or the world closing again.

I think like most people I’ve not really processed it properly. Remember when even McDonald’s was shut? Such an incredibly crazy time when the world stood still. I want it all to be a “remember when” conversation instead of a “do you think” conversation.

I re-read an article recently by Mum of Boys and Mabel discussing life and it’s really stuck with me. Life generally is mundane, repetitive and steady. It peaks with incredible highs and deals catastrophic blows that knock us sideways. For the most part though it is ticking along, almost boring in it’s repetitiveness. The key to happiness therefore is to stop worrying about the potential for a blow, they swipe us off our feet when we least expect it. Stop chasing after the euphoric highs and accept they will pepper our lives sporadically but instead learn to love that mundane train just chugging along. The train that is beautiful in its ordinary, safe, familiar and well trodden path. That part is life and living and the part where time seems to tick away the fastest.

So as I sit here with a hot cup of tea, writing and avoiding the mammoth task of operation tidy up, I will drink in this moment of mundane. Reframing my mindset of “having” to tidy to “I get to” tidy up after my family as psychotherapist Anna Mathur says.