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You are here: Home / STYLE / How to be happy in February

How to be happy in February

February 2, 2017 by Molly 3 Comments

Nathalie Bond Organics

Everywhere I look at the moment it seems there’s relief at seeing the back of January. For us, weirdly, January wasn’t too bad. In fact, I always find February a trickier month. The weather is often dismal, spring still feels so far away, and the initial burst of enthusiasm over new year’s goals has disappeared into the distance. However, I reckon if I stick on the right track then February could go the same way as January and not end as a total write-off. Here’s how to be happy in February, according to the rules of my January survival experience:

1. Give yourself things to look forward to

The reason everyone hates Mondays is because the weekend still feels so far away. And why do we love the weekend? Because we treat ourselves, do fun things and relax the rigorous routines. The same is true of January. The summer is months in the future and without little things and experiences to look forward to, life is dull.

Last month, we had a great weekend away in Bristol, which was the perfect antidote to the January blues. For February, the NLM and I have a child-free night away planned, which we’re both really looking forward to. This week we also booked our flights to Paris for a weekend away just the two of us in April (I owe my parents serious favours for all the childcare help!), and I’m currently knee deep in summer holiday planning too. 

Working from home

You might say this is a distraction from the everyday grind of life, but I think having things to look forward to is a much-needed pick-me-up and solution to feeling frazzled, especially when the weather’s awful. It doesn’t have to be a weekend away, though. It could be something as simple as a special Friday night meal, or a session of binge watching on Netflix. These little things buoy us along and are vital in the search for how to be happy.

2. Stay organised

Having kids has forced me to relax my inner Monica to a certain extent, but I always know I’m heading for a mini meltdown if I start to feel overwhelmed by my To Do list. For me, there’s nothing worse than having a huge list of work deadlines and no time to do them. I feel panicked and anxious, snappy with the kids and am probably not the most fun person to be around. Staying organised is the key to happiness. This month I was sent a beautiful organiser from Pen Heaven and it’s proven really helpful in keeping track of my many deadlines, kids’ school and club commitments and family weekend plans. Ultimately, this makes me feel more in control and less like I’m hurtling toward some kind of life crisis.

Pen Heaven organiser

3. Pamper pamper pamper

There’s nothing more indulgent than a long soak in a hot bath and then taking the time to massage in a load of fancy creams afterwards, is there? There have been a couple of evenings in the last few weeks where I’ve gone to town with the pampering and done the whole shebang – face mask, hair mask, detoxing bath salts, candles – the works.

Nathalie Bond Organics 2

I was sent a sample of the newly repackaged Nathalie Bond Organics skin balm which is just the thing to put on after a long soak. Made with rose geranium, patchouli and calendula it smells good enough to eat and glides over your skin in meltingly smooth fashion. I’ve used it on my face, after my regular moisturiser, as a night cream, smothered it all over my dry lips and even rubbed it into dry spots on my knees and ankles (all the glamour).

4. Exercise

I have a real love-hate relationship with exercise. As a kid and teenager I did loads of dance and swimming, but then I grew up and discovered wine and the joy of hangover junk food. I’ve always dabbled in yoga and gone through phases of shifting my backside on some sort of exercise fad (there was a Zumba phase, an aqua-aerobics phase and even a boot camp phase), but nothing – except for yoga – has really stuck.

Recently, though, I’ve had a bit more time to myself as Baby Girl started pre-school a couple of mornings a week. So I’ve taken up running two mornings a week, before getting home to do some work. And I’ve found a trampoline interval training class at a local trampoline park which is horrendous and strangely satisfying in equal measure. I think the fact I’m starting to see results is helping to spur me on and actually begin to enjoy the exercise (I’ve lost 7lbs this month and my jeans no longer feel like they’re cutting off the blood circulation in my waist). So I’m keen to continue with it and keep going through to the summer. (Please remind me of this if I start flagging over the next month.)

Tired mum face

Other vital ingredients in the search for how to be happy include: giving yourself a break (early nights to bed, read a book, carve out time to slob out on the sofa and watch your favourite box set etc), making the most in a break in bad weather and getting outdoors – even if it’s only a local walk – and, most importantly, CLEAN SHEETS! I can not stress enough the simple “Aaaaaah” moment I feel when I slide between my fresh sheets every Sunday evening. It makes saying goodbye to the weekend that bit easier.

What things helped you get through January? 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Beauty, STYLE Tagged With: exercise, happiness, happy, me time, mindfulness, motherhood, mum me time, pampering, self care

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Comments

  1. Carie @ Space for the Butterflies says

    February 5, 2017 at 9:16 am

    I was glad to move into February mostly because January was always going to be insanely busy with work things, and it duly was! February means we survived (and we’re one step nearer to March when two of my team come back to work!) Your Paris trip sounds very exciting – we’re hoping to have a kid free night during half term and I can’t wait, even without such a lovely destination!!

    Reply
  2. Mel Wiggins says

    February 2, 2017 at 4:02 pm

    Good on you Molly – I love the idea of planning some special things in. Dave and I need to do that more! Paris in April (I can vouch we went that time of the year) is SO nice! I find going to bed at a decent time helps ease the winter blues – tiredness and dark days can be a troubling combo xo

    Reply
  3. Alice says

    February 2, 2017 at 3:57 pm

    I HATE January with a passion so may well bookmark this post to come back to! For me, feb is that little bit closer to spring so it makes me happier 🙂

    I really love that organizer! Great colour x

    Reply

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Hello and welcome! I'm Molly Forbes - podcaster, presenter and blogger with a passion for positivity, confidence and body image chat. Regularly writing and vlogging about empowering female issues from a motherhood angle, I also cover lifestyle and fashion topics for like-minded mums who want to rediscover themselves after having children. Thanks for stopping by! Read More…

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YOUTUBE

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I am not “bossing” it. Or “slaying”. Or “hustling”. Or “smashing” it. I’m not even juggling or spinning plates or doing any of the other words we use as a glossy, marketable, Instagram friendly way to package up burnout culture, under the guise of “empowering” women (💪🤢). 
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What I have been doing, though, is working too hard. Call a spade a spade. I’ve been working too hard, neglecting my health, my relationships, my life away from my laptop. I cannot be everything to everyone AND work at the level I’ve been working at BECAUSE I AM A HUMAN BEING. And you are too. We are not robots.
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I care deeply about all my work, and things aren’t always this intense, but I wanted to sprinkle some reality into the Gram because I am so over this lie that *any* type of success or achievement doesn’t come at a cost, or involve many failures in the background, or require many other people to help make things happen. 
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I guess what I’m saying is, let’s be real about all that, as well as showing the achievements. I’m bloody proud of my book. And I’m so excited to launch the social enterprise @bodyhappyorg properly next month. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy, and that there isn’t a price. 
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And with that, I’m taking the weekend off. See you on the other side 🥰🥰🥰
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[Image description: Molly sits in her office with her hands covering her mouth. On the back of one hand is written “Not bossing it”. She is wearing a pink boiler suit with a black and white top underneath. She has pink leopard print earrings on and her hair is tied back.]
This was taken at the start of half term, when the This was taken at the start of half term, when the kids were still enthusiastic about going for a walk. 1,705 walks around the same bit of countryside later... not so much 😬 
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If you’re struggling to get your kids motivated to move their body at the moment, go gentle. You’re not alone. Bad weather coupled with boredom coupled with the lure of screens is a heady recipe for lethargy - and that’s just me! 
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Seriously though, remember: all movement is valid. Even if it’s just a ten minute @cosmickids sesh or a little kitchen disco, it all counts. And if it comes from a place of enjoyment and fun, kids (and adults!) are going to be far more likely to want to get involved.
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What joyful movement activities are your kids enjoying right now (if any?!)?
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[Image description: Molly and her two daughters are standing in a field. They’re wearing colourful wellies, holding hands and smiling.]
I founded a social enterprise 😵 . Introducing: I founded a social enterprise 😵
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Introducing: @bodyhappyorg 🎉
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We are a Community Interest Company dedicated to promoting positive body image in children. We help adults help the kids in their care be friends with their bodies 🥰. 
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Through workshops and classes, digital and physical resources (both free and paid) we help parents, carers, teachers, youth leaders - and any adults who are ever around children - create body happy settings for kids to thrive in. 
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We launch officially next month with a beautiful new website and lots of resources which we’ll continually be adding to. In the meantime give us a follow at @bodyhappyorg - we start posting from today and our page has been designed as a free resource on its own! 
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I’m privileged to work alongside an incredible team of people on this. Shout-out to the original dream team @chelseacoxstrategist @amysnellingpt @effinitupfaye @lottie_storey @bodyconfidencecards_db @rachel_hobnobs & @aceandping 💕 LOVE YOU ALL! 💕
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[Image description: A blue square with yellow and white text which reads “the body happy org”. This is the logo for The Body Happy Organisation CIC]
Proof that I did wear clothes other than a tea-sta Proof that I did wear clothes other than a tea-stained hoodie and tracksuit bottoms at least once in the past month 😐
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[Image description: Molly is wearing pink dungarees with yellow buttons over a black rollneck long-sleeved top. She has a monochrome striped hairband on and her hair is pink. She is also wearing earrings with boobs on them. She looks very pleased, both with her earrings, the pink hair and the fact she’s not wearing sleepwear, for a change.]
A new report from the Education Policy Institute h A new report from the Education Policy Institute has concluded an obvious gender divide in the well-being of young adults. If you’d like to read more check out this article by Eleanor Peake in @newstatesman (I’ve linked to it in my Stories).
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Every week I get messages from parents and teachers concerned about the impact of social media on their kids’ body image. And of course, I couldn’t write a book about body image in kids and teens without covering social media - there’s a whole chapter in Body Happy Kids dedicated to the subject. 
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The thing is, social media isn’t going anywhere. And just like it can be a force for anxiety, shame and general angst it can be a force for good too. The trick is in knowing how to use it positively (and in holding the platforms to account for not moderating the spread of harmful viral trends and online abuse, and creating algorithms that deliberately create division and harm mental health... but that’s a story for another day). 
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But how can we expect our kids to have a handle on it when we, as adults, don’t ourselves? 
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I don’t believe the answer is to ban social media, but I don’t think kids should be given unfettered access to it either. 
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They need help navigating this stuff, learning about boundaries, developing media literacy skills so they can think critically about the content they’re consuming (just like many adults).
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And we also need to explore how we might be inadvertently contributing to the problem, perpetuating appearance ideals and creating a culture where kids learn it’s ok to body shame under the guise of health and to value each other based on the way they look.
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As ever, it’s complicated. I’d love to know what you think? What are some of the boundaries you have around social media in your house - both for yourself and your kids?
#BodyHappyKids 
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When I was pregnant with Effie I went to a pregnan When I was pregnant with Effie I went to a pregnancy yoga class every week. It was the highlight of my week. I left each session feeling like I was floating on a cloud, and I used the poses and breath work to guide me through labour too. But then I had my baby and found that, as a knackered new mum of two, I couldn’t find the time for yoga. I no longer had the excuse of doing it “for the bump” or “to prepare for labour”, so what was the point?
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It wasn’t until I started reinvesting in myself and unravelling the diet culture perspective on exercise that I found it again, along with running, which turned to hiking, and swimming. 
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It wasn’t about preparing my body for someone or something else. It was about the process itself, the time to unwind my mind and move my body for joy, just for me. I’ve lost a bit of that this past year with lockdowns, and I feel it.
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I recently signed up to @theunderbellyyoga with @mynameisjessamyn and feel like I’m finding it again. I love that my kids can see me taking time for myself, and enjoying movement, and that they sometimes want to join in too. Even if it is a bit annoying sometimes (swipe 👀). 
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#BodyHappyMum 
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[Image description: Molly and her 6 year old daughter Effie sit on yoga and gymnastics mats with their legs crossed and arms in the air. They have their backs to the camera. In the second image they are sitting crossed legged while twisting round to the side, and in the third image Molly is lying on the mat with her eyes closed while Effie leans over her, being a bit annoying.]
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