January has been a slog – here’s what’s helping me
Has January felt like a bit of a slog to you? You’re not alone.
I was really hoping that once Christmas was over, things would calm down and I’d finally find some time for me. But with families like ours, it rarely works out that way.
There’s been a lot going on here. Both of my children have needed extra support around school, including some emotionally based school avoidance. My husband has also recently had surgery. It wasn’t anything serious and everything went to plan, but it’s still another layer to hold.
All of it adds to the mental load, and I can really feel my capacity being stretched. I’m back in EHCP review mode, looking at what further supports and assessments we need, and just trying to keep everything ticking along.
When life feels like this, I always come back to the same question. What will help me stay steady enough for today?
Why I keep coming back to breathing
One of the things I lean on most is guided breathing and meditation. If you’ve already downloaded my Pocket of Calm meditation, I’ve recently updated it with improved sound quality.
Even if you’re sceptical about meditation, I really encourage you to try it. This isn’t about emptying your mind or doing it “right”. For me, it’s about slowing my breathing.
Slower breaths, longer exhales, and a signal to my nervous system that I’m safe enough in this moment. That alone can take the edge off.
I’ve tried apps and more traditional mindfulness, but I struggle to sit still and my mind wanders. Gentle, guided meditations work best for me because they give me something to focus on and help my body slow down.
It’s a small reset, but sometimes that’s all we need. You can downloaded the newest version here for free.
Something new I’ve created
Alongside that, I’ve put together something new that I’m really proud of – a three-minute reset toolkit.
It’s a bundle of grounding exercises and mini resets, all designed to fit into three minutes or less. They’re there for the days that feel like too much – realistic supports for parents like us, built to fit into the life you’re already living.
This isn’t about fixing everything or making life magically calm. It’s about giving you just enough back to respond with intention, rather than reacting when things get hard.
For the whole of February, I’m offering the toolkit at a reduced price of £17 instead of £29.
Everything inside:
- Takes three minutes or less (most just seconds)
- Doesn’t require silence, privacy, or space
- Is designed to work in the middle of real life, in amongst the mess and chaos
It includes five PDF guides comprising of grounding and mindfulness tools, mini resets and micro-habits to support the nervous system, short videos, and a simple cheat sheet you can come back to when your brain is fried. Find out more and download the bundle here.
A gentle reminder
You deserve support too – even in the smallest, gentlest ways.
Sometimes you don’t need a big fix. Sometimes a small shift at the right moment is enough.
And if the toolkit isn’t right for you, please do go and grab the free Pocket of Calm meditation and give it a try.
I’d love to know how your January has been so far.