Riding Out The Mid January Dip

Mid-January is a funny place to be, don’t you think?

Any excitement from a fresh start has eased off, routines are settling in and many of us start to quietly question whether we can keep going on the well intentioned path we only recently started.

I think this part of the year is meant to feel a little tough.

This isn’t unusual, nothing is wrong, you’re not falling behind, you haven’t fallen ‘off’.

You’re simply moving from intention into reality. It’s hard. This is always the point where progress actually begins.

Rowing taught me that rhythm isn’t built in the first strokes of a training session.

It’s built once the excitement and energy of the start fades and you transition, steady yourself and commit to getting stuck in.

That’s where change happens and confidence grows. That’s where strength and fitness develops. That’s where races are won. It’s where calm is needed.

So if the last couple of weeks haven’t been perfect…good.

Perfection was never the aim.

The aim is momentum. Small, almost forgettable steps that get you started and quietly add up.

Today, mid-January, is the perfect time to recognise this and keep moving.