One of the pleasures of the winter months in England is the enjoyment of the changing season. For many the idea of winter being pleasurable is an odd statement to make, and yet it is the season where nature seems to reset the clock.  As December progresses the days get shorter, darker, colder and often wetter. Then it is the shortest day of the year, and soon, albeit slowly, the days unfold for a little longer.
 
The leaves are mostly off the trees with little bright colour left in gardens or hedgerow. Yet when one looks carefully there is still so much to see. Most of the flowers are small, often understated, but there are some plants that do want to shout about their ‘plumage’. As you can see from the picture, this wonderful heather has so much flower, so much colour, that it stood out as it cascaded over a wall. Little modestly here. As the sun was also shining, it stood out all the more. Whilst not in the picture, there was a bee or two chancing their wings, in the breeze, to check and see if it had been worth leaving their hive to forage.
 
The purple of this plant, as with the colour on the artist’s palette, is created by mixing red and blue. Or, as in the Insights Discovery palette, by the mixture of the two leading colours of Fiery Red and Cool Blue or Cool Blue and Fiery Red. A part of the Insights Discovery Wheel referred to as the Reformer, the use of reforming behaviour where thinking is dominant.
 
Perhaps a useful colour to use at this time of the year. As the final embers of the year are still warm, it is a great time to use that remaining glow to reflect on the year past. It is also the perfect time to start to consider what one might want to reform in the coming year, or years.
 
Reforming is all about making positive changes. Whilst any time of the year is a good time to make changes, the end of one year and the start of the next is indeed a perfect time. It is also important to hold fast, staying strong on what matters to you – after you have considered if change is needed. And as the dominance of thinking is the preference of the reformer, sometimes being a less impassioned can be useful.
 
A question I shall be using, and one I have shared with many people, is:

‘What lessons has Covid taught over the past year (and more)?’ And vitally: ‘How can those lessons be used?’

I have heard many people talking about being glad when things are ‘back to normal’. I have observed before that ‘normal’ got us in this mess. I rarely go back as I am all too keen to move forward.
 
Like most of us, my plate is full of things to do. If there is more that I want to start, or do more of, I must reduce or stop something else. Simple. Not easy.
 
But isn’t that one of the joys, luxuries – making choices, making decisions? If you are reading this you are probably blessed to live in a part of the world where there are choices that can be made, and the freedom to make those choices.
 
Much has been shared in the media about mental health, mindfulness, wellbeing, the simplicity of taking time to breath in a more conscious way…even for a few minutes every day.
 
Is now a good time to take a few minutes to breath in a conscious way, to stop, and then make a few notes of what is really important for you to action over the coming year? If not now, when is a good time?

I usually take a decent amount of time to do this fully, the benefits always outweight the time it takes. Perhaps make a diary appointment with yourself to do this fully too - if it were a client you would make the time!
 
You and the people you care about are truly worth it. It needn’t take long. And as a dear departed friend of mine used to remind me:

‘Peter, perfection is the enemy of good!’

My best wishes for the opportunities you create, and take, in the new year,
 
Peter

PS. If you think I can help do get in touch.