You're ok. Really.

It’s not easy to find an incentive to embrace the outdoors right now.

I don’t think that many people really love dark and gloomy fog-filled January.

Walk if you can. It’s what we’re designed for. The gloom is often not as dire as it appears from the inside.

There are bright spots too. They can be brief and you often have to make an effort to spot them. Perhaps that’s their purpose? They force you to lift your head and look up.

Trouble is, if you get stuck inside this time of year you are bombarded with messages telling you you’re not good enough.

Don’t believe a word of it. Journalists have to earn a living. Much of the ‘clean, fast, lean’ stuff was written after a chocolate biscuit and a glass of wine last October or before.

We’re ok. Most people are ok. And if you need to lose a few pounds, or wash more often, you’ll probably have figured that out by now.

Here’s an unbidden tip. Grit your teeth and make and effort to be kinder to yourself and others.

You’re ok.