Welcome to SLOWanuary - the warm-up month of the year

On why I think we need a new approach to January, reframing it as the warm up month to of the year - a time to rest, go slow, reflect and dream

Hi there, I’m Selina, a Career and Life Design Coach, author and podcaster. I’ve been helping people design lives and careers they love for almost two decades.

When I’m not writing here on Substack, I’m coaching clients all over the world, from my little green office in South East London. If you’re curious about what my coaching programmes could do for you, you can come and check them out over here

Hello lovelies,

Happy New Year! How are you feeling about stepping into a fresh new chapter? I love the magic that comes with the start of a new year. A fresh new chapter to fill up with new dreams, goals and plans.

I spent time this morning on my ‘Goodbye 2024, Hello 2025’ journal and chose my intention for 2024 which feels full of energy and possibility (I’ll share it soon) and I am feeling so excited about the dreams, plans and goals that have been emerging on the pages of my journal over the past few days!

Every year I’m surprised at the power this journal has on me ✨

Talking of which, there are now less than 100 physical copies of the ‘Goodbye 2024, Hello 2025’ journal left - so if you want one - I would recommend you order yours today! » ORDER IT NOW HERE

Slowanuary

You’d be forgiven for thinking that, as a Career and Life Design Coach and now that the new year has begun, I’m going to be encouraging you off the sofa and into action. Harnessing that new year energy to kickstart all of your exciting 2025 projects.

Well I’m not. Quite the opposite in fact.

I happen to think that, for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, January is possibly the worst time of year to be leaping into action, going after big dreams, embarking on new projects and starting healthy habits.

For starters, many of us were utterly emptied out by Christmas. It is a magical and exhausting time of year. But even if your Christmas was nourishing and energising, the fact still remains we are in the darkest depths of winter, our bodies want to hibernate, not leap into action.

And that is why a few years ago I decided to reframe January as Slowanuary - the warm-up month of the year.

A time to not leap into action, but to be still, to go slow. A time to rest and reflect, dream and plan.

It felt mad at first for a life design coach to be saying, ‘don’t go after your dreams in January. Be still first, rest, go slow’.

Now though, it feels like madness not to do that.

Since starting this new slow approach to January, I look forward to the start of the year, in a way I never used to.

Knowing that I have a month at the start of the year dedicated, as much as possible, to rest, going slow and filling up my cup, feels like such a gift.

And I love how people’s eyes light up when I introduce them to the concept of Slowanuary. So many of us are so desperately in need of it.

And if your eyes are lighting up at the idea of this too, then come and join me. Even if you have loads of work on this month, you can still do it.

Below is a 10 minute Pep-Talk I recorded last year all about the power of reframing January as Slowanuary (I’m going to be doing a lot more of these Pep-Talks in 2025 on the Another Way podcast so watch this space!).

And here is a list of things you could try over the next few weeks to help go slow, find stillness and lean into the hibernation that nature is inviting you to take.

SLOW-ANUARY ACTIVITIES FOR YOU TO TRY:

• Reflect and Dream: Enjoy time with your ‘Goodbye 2024, Hello 2025’ journal, reflecting back on 2024 and getting clear on what you want 2025 to be all about (and no, it's not too late to start!)

• Start the day (and the year) with stillness: Start your day with 10 minutes of mindfulness or meditation to set a calm tone for the day ahead.

• Unplug for an Hour: Disconnect from technology for at least one hour. Use this time to do something that feels nourishing and fills up your cup

• Get out in Nature: Spend time outdoors even when it is dark and drizzly. When you connect with nature and the elements, you connect with yourself.

• Slow Mealtime: Practice mindful eating. Sit down without distractions and savor each bite of your meal.

• Digital Declutter: Organize your digital space. Clean up your emails, delete unnecessary files, and declutter your digital life.

• Self-Care Sunday: Dedicate today to self-care. Take a relaxing bath, practice yoga, or do something that brings you joy.

• Creative Expression: Engage in a creative activity that allows you to express yourself, whether it's drawing, painting, or writing poetry.

• Read a Book: Put down your phone and read a book - one that you can get totally lost in.

• Declutter your space: Create harmony and ease at home and at work, by decluttering the spaces you live and work in

• Mindful Walk: Take a slow, mindful walk. Pay attention to your surroundings, notice the sensations in your body, and breathe deeply.

• Get plenty of good quality sleep: Set yourself up with a relaxing bedtime routine and ensure you get a restful night's sleep.

• Connect with a loved one: Catch up with a friend or family member you haven't spoken to in a while

• Enjoy a candlelit bath: have a long soak in the bath and let your body deeply relax.

Let me know in the comments, if you’re going to join me taking it slow this January and what restorative activities you’re looking forward to getting up to.

What’s on this January!

While we rest, take it slow and fill up our cups this month, I’ve got some delicious online events coming up to help you reflect, dream and plan, from the comfort of your own home…

Big Online Share - 14th Jan at 7.30-9pm (free for anyone to join with the ‘Goodbye 2024, Hello 2025’ journal)

​If you enjoyed filling in the 'Goodbye 2024, Hello 2025' journal then you are going to love this Big Online Share!

​This is a once-a-year opportunity to get together with me and other people who have done the Goodbye, Hello journal and go through the journal sharing our answers from the key questions in the journal and at the end declaring what our intentions for 2025 are going to be. It is SO uplifting - we all go away grinning 😁

‘Reflect & Plan’ Session - 6th Jan at 1pm (for paid subscribers)

A one hour session on Zoom to help you get clear on what you want to make your January all about and a plan to support you in making it happen (my plan will be filled mostly with activities from the list above!)

Your Big Project Plan - 23rd January at 7.30-9pm (for paid subscribers)

I’ll be taking you step by step through my project-process that shows you how to take your dreams for 2025 and turn them into practical projects and manageable steps, so that by February you’ll be feeling excited and ready to go after your dreams and make them happen

Wednesday Life Designing Sessions - every Wednesday at 1-2pm (for paid subscribers)

Join me for a lunchtime co-working session where we spend an hour together, each taking focused action on projects that have us designing lives we love or simply doing something we want to make more time for. You’ll be amazed at how much you can get done in just one of these sessions!

And in the next couple of weeks I’ll be sharing with you all the exciting ways we can work together in 2025 - from becoming a paid subscriber here on Substack to becoming one of my 1:1 Coaching clients in 2025 and a whole lot more…watch this space!

x Selina