It’s the last day of January as well as being Nurturing Thursday which was instituted by Becca of On Dragonfly Wings with Buttercup Tea.
I’m always happy to kiss January good-bye – one solid month of winter down and out! Now comes February which I often struggle to get through. It’s a month of grey skies, bitter cold weather and, a time, when depression seems to shadow me. I did better last year, getting through this month, and I plan to do even better this year. How? By nurturing me!
I know that in order to do this, I need to do things that matter to me. So, here is a list of things I’m going to do this month to help keep my spirits from plummeting into the cold barren soil of winter:
- Post on the blog, either this one or my CCWOW one every day because the connections I have here in the Blogosphere mean a lot, a lot, lot, lot to me.
- Create a visual – a drawing, a painting, a collage or SOMETHING of a vision I had last week during a distance healing session.
- Phone a friend once a week (the phone and I, while not bitter enemies, are not close personal friends either) so I can hear the voice of someone I love and who loves me.
- Finish the first draft of MaryLynn’s story – the novel I’m working on. More about that tomorrow.
- Take an Epsom salts and lavender bath at least once.
- Visit the hairdresser so we can figure out how to let my hair grow long with layers so that it doesn’t lie on my head like dull dry straw once it is long
- Bake some gluten-free bread. We are avoiding gluten and yet I miss bread occasionally so I want to find something I can bake that will taste good and not be bad for us to eat.
- Stay current – notice I didn’t say catch up – with reading posts from my bloggeroos! That’s mostly you guys!
- Listen to a set of 21 days of meditation that I bought last year.
Okay if this list gets any longer it’s going to end up being something that drags me down rather than helps to lift me up.
Bring it on February!

Mar 24, 2013 @ 15:14:42
Mar 14, 2013 @ 09:41:36
Any reports on how your February list fared? Do you have a copy of the 21 days of meditation you might be able/willing to share?
Feb 02, 2013 @ 14:22:48
I am actually joyful that January is gone. Since our lists are almost identical I will let you get on with it while I ponder it.
Feb 02, 2013 @ 05:03:27
Lovely ideas to uplift your spirits throughout this gloomy month, Joss. I have been preoccupied, supporting others through recent crises but this morning I decided that it’s time to get my own life back on track and start nurturing myself again. I didn’t know where to start but you’ve given me inspiration, dear friend, thank you <3
Feb 02, 2013 @ 09:43:48
We each get caught up in crisis that need to be tended to, don’t we? And then, we catch our breath, and bring our own self-care back into line. Blessings of February to you, my friend. Well, it does have some blessings. it’s a short month, the daylight hours increase, the house wrens and other sprint-time birds begin to appear at the feeders!
Feb 01, 2013 @ 17:31:47
Good luck with your projects for February. Looking forward to Mary Lynn
Feb 01, 2013 @ 16:45:27
What wonderful variety you have on your list…how about a nice, comforting, warm bath at least once a week, instead of once?… ahhhh, warm baths. Do you have any frequent flier miles? ( I don’t….we don’t seem to accumulate any, but I hear others talking about that idea) February is lovely in some places…February is springtime in California…
Feb 02, 2013 @ 09:44:31
No airmiles! But, next year, in February I plan to be somewhere with sunshine and warmth.
Feb 01, 2013 @ 13:13:55
February is my hardest month to get through. It doesn’t even help that my birthday is at the end of it. I look forward to seeing the visual of your vision, as well as hearing more about your novel! Oh, and it will be interesting to hear/see how the gluten-free bread turns out! I’m glad you’re going to be blogging more often, as you have so much to say and show.
Feb 02, 2013 @ 10:05:52
That visual is a challenge in the making. My artistic skills are pretty minimal but I’m determined! Thank you for all your encouragement and support, soul sister!
Feb 02, 2013 @ 12:52:33
Anytime! That’s what soul sisters are for. <3
Feb 01, 2013 @ 08:45:06
Some great ideas – thanks for sharing Joss!
Have you ever tried light therapy? A friend of mine used to get a wicked case of SAD (Seasonally Affected Disorder): and it worked like a charm for her. (Heck, with all of the Ott-type lamps around anymore, it’d be easy enough to “sun” while you’re “talking” to us, right?; ). Oh, and I just read the other day that fermented foods are good for serotonin production>sleep>mood [and FLU prevention?] too: )
http://culturedfoodlife.com/flu-prevention-cultured-veggies/
Feb 02, 2013 @ 10:04:46
I’ve often thought of light therapy but the lamps seem so darn expensive so I’ve put it off! but the south of France is calling me as is Ecuador! We’ll see how it all comes together this year. That’s a great link you posted. I do love fermented foods and have been incorporating them more into my diet. I recently bought a book called Cultured by Kevin Gianni and it is full of delightful information, links, and recipes.
Feb 02, 2013 @ 11:20:19
Kevin Gianini, thanks Joss, I’ll have to look him up: )
And yes, go figure that it’s all up to our gut>intestinal flora>micro biota=our immune system to bring us back to health (and help keep us that way; )
Grandma was right… “You are what you eat!”
Feb 01, 2013 @ 04:05:24
Welcome to February. It’s a new day and a new month. I love your list i must update my own and put it where i can see it. I shall do it and publish it, i shall, i shall, i shall. it takes me three goes to get it in my head
Feb 02, 2013 @ 09:47:35
the power of three!
Feb 01, 2013 @ 03:17:13
Feb 01, 2013 @ 02:46:04
The MaryLynn one sounds really interesting!
Feb 02, 2013 @ 09:46:54
The story is progressing, developing, moving along.
Feb 02, 2013 @ 11:38:44
Good! Be firm with it, and keep it that way! Coax or bully as necessary …
Jan 31, 2013 @ 23:03:10
Awesome list — I think it is important to stave off those recognized lower vibrations!! Nurture your wonderful self!!!
Feb 02, 2013 @ 09:46:29
Thanks Becca. Nurturing myself seems like an excellent antidote to February!
Jan 31, 2013 @ 23:02:45
Don’t forget that your BFF is coming for a visit and that is UBER exciting!!!!!!!!!!!
Feb 02, 2013 @ 09:45:41
Well, I wasn’t absolutely sure of that when I posted this. Now, that I KNOW you will be here, February seems more a month to celebrate! Ten more sleeps!