January is often a bit chaotic for my mind, it’s my least favourite time of year.

Part of the problem is that I don’t do New Year’s resolutions, so when the new year begins, I don’t have that added motivation to fire me up and give me focus. But mostly, it’s dark, it’s cold, and I have no seasonal hobbies to excite me.

Without distraction or direction, I find myself spending a lot of time in my head. My inner critic often takes command and twists my thoughts into patterns of negativity that drain me.

Thankfully, I have people in my life who can reverse this downward spiral.

My wife, my close friends, and a handful of family members have this special power. The mere acknowledgement of their existence in my life has an almost magical ability to recharge my energy and bring me back into the light.

And with everything inside of me, every morsel of gratitude and love, I hope that I can be this person for someone else during their dark times.