How lovely January could have been if she’d allowed us to enter slowly, easing into the new year quietly, with no drama. But alas, the universe had other ideas. 

New Years Day started with a trip to the hospital for my brother, who had a high temperate and what turned out to be a nasty infection. 

Covid 19 finally hit our household on Dads birthday, although thankfully, Mum, Dad and my brother only suffered mild symptoms. Somehow I completely escaped testing positive despite being in close contact with them the day before, as well as on the day they all tested positive!

Anxiety also struck in January, which you can read about here.

Thankfully, it wasn’t all doom and gloom. 

Here’s a little look back at some of my favourite moments:

I started writing again

November and December were so busy that my writing took a back seat. It’s the longest I’ve ever neglected my blog. I missed writing, both from a creative point of view and as a source of therapy. 

A lot happened at the end of last year. Perhaps, had I continued to write, I may have been able to avoid ending up at the Doctors in January.  

I was still writing for work, which kept the creative in me satisfied, but it’s nothing like the sense of freedom and therapy I get from my own writing.

My Monthly Musings returned

Alongside my blog writing, my Monthly Musings (my newsletter) also took a back seat at the end of last year. I’m pleased to say they also made a comeback in January. 

By subscribing to my newsletter, you’ll receive exclusive monthly musings, links to my latest blog posts, and the latest Mindful Gingernut news. 

You’ll also be the first to receive discounts on future Mindful Gingernut products and services.

If you’re yet to sign up for my musings, you’ll find the link to subscribe here.

I started adventuring again

Whilst I love adventuring at the weekend, it leaves me with little time to do much else. 

As I find myself more settled in freelance life, I’ve decided to play around with my time. As a result, I’m trialling a four-day working week, giving me a whole extra day to play with. 

This has enabled me to have a couple of days out on my own, first to the Sculpture Park in Churt and then to Painshill Park later in the month.

I’ve also been able to catch up with my Meetup walking group for a couple of weekend hikes, which I had missed during my busy November/December. 

Our first meetup of the year was a 6-mile walk around Norbury Park, which was needed after a Christmas of over-indulgence. Later in the month, we met for a walk around Ramore Common and the grounds of Polesden Lacey.

My goals are in progress

Whilst there is no immediate rush to achieve my goals for the year, I have started putting building blocks in place to ensure I stay on track with them.

The building blocks are equally as important as reaching my goals, as, without them, there is no guarantee I will achieve them.

If you’re interested in finding out more about my Goals, click here.

Exciting business news

Something I’ve been working on for a little while now is re-branding my business. 

When I first started my business at the beginning of 2021, I cobbled together a website and some branding to help me feel more like a business. My business was still finding its identity, and I never felt connected to my branding. It stopped me from shouting about my business because I felt detached from it.

I’m currently working on a new homepage, and my branding is almost complete. 

Hopefully, I’ll be ready to re-launch my website alongside my branding on 1st March. 

In the meantime, here’s a little sneak peek at my upgraded logo:

I would love to know how January was for you? Did you escape the January blues? Have you started to work on your goals for the year? Or perhaps, you’ve booked your first vacation of 2022? I’d love to hear your news, so why not let me know in the comments below ☺️