What’s the weather like with you? Occasionally we get a shot of sunshine, or a day that seems to hint at an end to winter. If you believe in Old Wives’ Tales, according to the folklore connected to 2nd February we are in for another blast of winter before it finishes (that’s the superstition that says if you can see a shadow on 2nd February, then winter isn’t over yet. Groundhog day, in America, Candlemas in Ireland/Catholic tradition, and they both say the same. Sunshine on 2nd isn’t a good thing).

It’s a shame, because I’m really done with the whole winter thing. Perhaps it’s writing a newsletter a month ahead (I am knee-deep in March’s Cosy Happy Hygge) or because, after Christmas, winter either needs to be covered with snow or short, sharp and frosty. This year winter is meh. It’s not warm enought to be lovely, nor cold enough to be invigorating and enticing. I’d love a good week of snow, but I know I’m in the minority there. This winter isn’t cold enough to be a good winter. I like a few cold months to kill off the germs properly. I can just see this being a spring of sniffles and snot, if we’re lucky, and a season of stomach bugs if we’re not. I’m glad I’m not at school anymore. I can’t think of anyone I’ve met who hasn’t had a cold, or got a cold or been ill one way or the other. That’s bound to be worse in the germ-fest that is a school.

I was off work myself on Monday with achy bones and muscles. I slept, drank tea and cleaned my bin. Oh, yes, I know how to live.

And cleaning my bin made me feel better. It was just a small action, but it really had a positive effect. For one day at least, one small corner of my world was beautiful. I used orange scented cleaner (because I like my cleaning products to smell nice) and wiped it over afterwards with a solution of Bluebell Zoflora. I lined it, polished it, and cleared the area around it.

In her book (excuse the language) Unf**k Your Habitat, Rachel Hoffman is very keen to stress the benefit of little actions. “Doing something is always better than doing nothing.” she says, and stresses that perfection is never necessary. “Let go of perfect and embrace good enough”, she writes. She draws very clear links between our mental health and our habitat, because very often a person in a depressed state or full of anxiety will be paralysed rather than move out of their comfort zone, even when (especially when) the clutter around them is exacerbating the issues. When the mehs hit, the weather is cold, or wet or just not enticing enough to drag you out, then doing something small but environment-improving can give you the little boost that you need to do something else. It’s like the Broken Window Theory in reverse. Having cleaned something means you clean the next thing… and the next, and the next. In the end, your home is in a better condition just through taking little steps.

I’m warming up to the end of my hibernation time. I’ve enjoyed a good break from life, done a lot of things that are good for me, read a fair bit, and enjoyed a break. I’m well along with my book on hibernation as self care, and I already have plans for my next book (another proper, big book, not a short self-care ebook) which I’ll be setting up and starting in March. February is halfway done, and I’m looking forward to getting to grips with my house, my homelife and my working life in March and beyond. I can feel my inner Mole coming out.

March’s edition of Cosy Happy Hygge will be going out as soon as the March winds start. If you’d like to sign up to a monthly dose of happiness and hyggely ideas, then you can read more about it here and sign up for free.

I have a massive favour to ask….

I don’t monetise my blog. I don’t run adverts, take sponsorship for writing posts or use affiliate links. I want everything I do on this blog and in my hygge life outside to be truthful. If I promote a book it’s because I’ve read it and like it, if I  point out an item it’s because it’s impressed me on its own merits and not because the publicist has talked me into it. It does mean I don’t run giveaways and I’m not chasing followers, but the drawback is that I need to find a way to support myself.

That’s why I write books. My thoughts are that if I ask you to buy a book not only does it support me, and let me keep writing as an independent writer, but you get something back for your bucks. I’ve written several books, some on hygge, some on Christmas. If you like what you read here, or in the Hygge Nook, and you’d like to support a struggling writer, would you please consider buying a book? Ebooks give you the best value, since for 2 or 3 pounds you get the whole content of the book without paying the extra for paper production, but I’d be a pretty poor writer if I didn’t appreciate the beauty of a real book in the hand. If you buy just one book, it all adds up in the end to support me, and I’d be so grateful.

I’m working on my new book, Enjoying a Self Care Winter: Hibernation for Humans which should be out in the next few weeks, but until then you’ll have to live with my back catalogue.

My first three books are hygge related, 50 Ways to Hygge the British Way  was my first book, and is available in Paperback and Kindle version. It’s a simple look at ways to feel more hyggely in life and at home even though we’re not Danish and don’t have it in our DNA.

How to Hygge Your Summer, in Paperback and Kindle form, has lots of good ideas for the summer months. I strongly believe that hygge is so much more than throws and warm drinks.

Happier is my fourth book. It’s about how I boost my own happiness levels. It’s full of hints, tips and ideas for you to use and adapt to suit your own situation. It is available in ebook and paperback version from Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.

I have three Christmas books,

Have Yourself a Happy Hygge Christmas was released in September 2017 and is available again in paperback and ebook version. It looks at keeping the Christmas season warm and cosy, with ideas for activities and routines to keep Christmas happy.

A (Hygge) Christmas Carol is my look at Dickens’ immortal classic and the many lessons we still learn from it today. It contains the full text of the book as well as hyggely thoughts on the story.

Enjoying a Self Care Christmas is only available in ebook version. It’s about keeping Christmas simple enough and healthy enough to keep you sane in the process.

If you buy any of the books through the links on this page, I get a couple of extra pence per copy, in Amazon vouchers which go towards buying more books to review for the blog. I’d really love it if you’d support me monetarily, but I quite understand that cash is tight for many people, and I just love having your support via reading and commenting as well.