January always comes with pressure: change everything, all at once.

This is hard and inevitably can lead to self-criticism when we can’t reach our goals immediately. Last week we offered a few tips on how to start slow, iterate and find things that make you happy. Today we want to talk a bit more about how you discover activities that bring joy and how this can lead to ongoing self-improvement.

It starts with curiosity. Joy. And movement that feels good, for your body, your mind, and your life.

We believe that finding what makes you happy, even in small, unexpected ways, is the most radical way to begin.

Maybe you're in constant resistance right now, feeling guilty for missing a few runs, or not showing up to training like you promised yourself you would.

But instead of looping in guilt, what if you tried something different?

Maybe your body’s asking for a slower rhythm: yin yoga, followed by contrast therapy: a sauna and a cold plunge to help you reset and reconnect. 

Or maybe what you need is play: revisiting a sport you enjoyed as a child. Maybe it's time to try something new, just because it looks fun.

Instead of pushing harder, maybe it’s time to soften.

To listen.

To ask:

“What do I need right now?”

“What kind of movement makes me feel good?”

“What makes me feel more like myself?”

This is how progress begins, not by forcing, but by tuning in.

 

Positivity builds momentum

 

Last spring we held a talk with Dave Bone from Camino Ultra on training tips to run happier. Inspired by the book The Chimp Paradox by Dr Steve Peters, which discusses how managing the emotional, impulsive "chimp" part of your brain can help you think clearly, make better decisions, and improve your life. 

Dave has developed a “gratitude practice” where before a run, he walks to warm up his body and activate his chimp brain to think about gratitude such as walking in his local park and think "it's beautiful here", then using this to motivate him to start his run in the right mindset. Read more in our blog post.

Ali Abdaal wrote the book Feel Good Productivity where he suggests feeling good makes you more productive. Pushing on fumes only gets you so far, and while negative emotions may motivate us in the short-term, it takes a toll in the long run.

Positive emotions don’t just feel better, they help build up our emotional and mental resources, so that they can help you think clearer, solve problems faster and recover quicker. This, he argues, is how you build real momentum. 

 

Here are 4 ways to make space for joyful progress this month:

 

1. Start Where You Are.

Not where you think you should be. Ten minutes outside. A swim. A walk. A stretch. Choose what’s available. That’s how habits begin, with what’s real, not ideal

2. Let Go of All-or-Nothing.

Sustainability lives in the grey area. You don’t need to do it all to do something meaningful. Progress is built in layers: small, consistent acts of care.

3. Move in What Feels Good.

Yes, your kit matters. Not for how it looks, but for how it supports you. Choose boldness, comfort, colour, freedom. 

4. Set Feeling-Based Intentions.

Instead of chasing numbers, ask: how do I want to feel this month? More grounded? Energised? Clear-minded? Let that help guide you.