New Year, Past Inspirations

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”

– Leo Tolstoy.

January is a curious month. December – perennially busy with the festive hype and excitement of Christmas – has faded away, leaving many with a mixture of feelings. There are those who revel in the fresh start, the first to embrace New Year’s resolutions and an energetic start to the year, while many feel a sense of anti-climax and uncertainty about the months ahead.

One constant, for me, is that January tends to be a quiet month. The year often takes time to click into gear, be it a slow start at work, or enjoying time off before the next term at school or university. It is a month of quiet, cold, grey days, filled with thought and reflection, before Spring, the season of rebirth and renewal, finally arrives. Most of my friends can…