What a f***ing year January has been; a baptism of fire to 2024.
January feels like a never-ending movie that you have to sit through.
I tackle January a lot like work tasks, ticking each day off as it goes.
I'm not a fan of the month.
My birthday is just three days into January, which makes it feel like a letdown after the excitement of the holiday season.
Like a balloon slowly going down, most of us feel creased and withered by the end of January.
My year starts in February.
Life is a cycle, and each phase is temporary, even if it feels like an eternity.
The days are getting a little longer as we approach spring, a season I embrace with all its weather changes.
And I'm doing my best to embrace my work even if I struggle with motivation.
Coming off the back of Christmas, I felt flat and worn out.
As individuals, we often look to our jobs to define us, but not all jobs are treated equally and finding enjoyment and happiness in our jobs can be a thankless task.
Finding fulfilment in work is important but not always achievable.
Which is where I find myself at the present time.
What I do is less important than how I apply myself and approach my job.
My attitude has a profound effect on my work. If I feel miserable and lacking in motivation, I am disaffected.
But, if I adopt a positive mindset, my whole approach to work changes, and I get great satisfaction from helping others.
The challenge with menopause is dealing with mood swings, making it difficult to remain positive when feeling down.
I take pride in my work and always give my best, but sometimes, like today, it's an uphill struggle to keep going and put on the happy mask.
When I feel like this, I remind myself to be gentle and take comfort in the fact that I am one of millions of women who, at this very moment, feel like me.