7 Ways To Beat January Blues

Now that Christmas is over and the New Year has greeted us, many of us are hit with a sudden low that January inevitably brings. The January Blues have begun.

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It’s dark, it’s cold, we have no money, and all of a sudden we have nothing to look forward to. I am guilty of feeling particularly blue in January, so I’ve drummed up a few ways to keep our hopes high and beat those January blues now we have hit the new decade.

Redecorate Your Space

As we all associate January with new beginnings, there’s no better time than to mix up your living space. Whether it be your whole home, one room, or even just your desk – keep busy and get creative by changing things up. I always feel so much better when things are clean and tidy, so why not mix it up a bit?!

For some fab redecorating tips see this post by Elle Decor.

Avoid Unrealistic Expectations

So many of us do this every year, and I am terribly guilty of it. As December draws to a close, I started to list all of the bad habits I had slipped into throughout the year and felt the need to address them all at once.

After some thought, I knew that this was only going to make things worse. If you make goals that you are not likely to achieve in the first place, when you don’t succeed you feel even worse than when you started.

If you’re one to make goals, keep them short and achievable to ensure that you don’t be so hard on yourself! *cue Jess Glynn*

Start Something Different

I know this one is a little cliche, but it really is a valid one in my opinion! The thought of joining a club where I don’t know anybody fills me with dread, so I started to do things that I could do in my own company, eg crafts and hobbies.

It’s so enjoyable and satisfying when you achieve something new and always manages to put me in good spirits.

Don’t Starve Yourself…

We have all been there, “1st January and I’m going on a diet”.

Sure, many of us want to look fab and get our summer bods after our Christmas food babies have been rapidly growing, but that sudden drop in sugar and all the best bits is guaranteed to make you feel worse initially.

I aim to start eating better again this year as I had got in to some awful eating habits in winter but it’s all in moderation. It makes me so sad to know that some people out there have gone cold turkey on the diet and are feeling totally miserable.

I’m not saying that you shouldn’t diet whatsoever but if you’re hungry, lacking a bit of energy and feeling miserable then don’t starve yourself!!

Escape In To A Fictional World

I think this is my favourite way to beat January blues. For me, there’s no better way to forget your worries than immerse yourself in a good book or a movie.

Personally I’m more of a book gal but both are brilliant ways to let the misery slip away *deep*. I’m currently listening to books on Audible which I totally love to go to sleep to (read more about my review on that here)

Despite not watching many movies myself, it’s so magical to cozy up with your partner and put a movie on. Duvet, snacks, fairy lights… how can you be blue?

Book A Treat

Oooh. My family had a habit when my brother and I were younger of booking a sunny holiday in the winter as something to look forward to while we watched the miserable rain pour.

Now I’m an adult though, I realise that January isn’t really the best month for many of us financially. We have spent crazy amounts of money in December and forking out for a beach holiday is probably the last thing we can afford.

Whether it be a holiday, weekend away, or even just a trip to the spa with your girlfriends – something to look forward to goes a long way in my mind! When you’re feeling miserable it’s always nice to know that better times are ahead.

Most Importantly – Don’t Compare Yourself!

For those of you who know me on a personal level, you’re probably thinking this is a bit rich coming from me. I am the worst when it comes to comparing myself to others as I spend so much time marketing my blog across social media that I see so many different accounts and how perfect their life seems online.

At times like this I think we all need to remember that what we see on social media is often completely faux and not as it seems at all. The amount of bloggers, influencers and celebrities I see posting their perfect skin, hair, body, whatever it may be! I have to try and remind myself how many attempts of that photo they had to take and that their life may not be as perfect as it comes across – they’re not going to be posting the bad bits are they?!

I personally am trying to keep to this one the most this year – don’t compare yourself to anyone as we are all going through different things at different stages of our lives. We gotta embrace it and try to be happy despite the rubbish that we are bound to endure at some points of life!

I hope that this post can encourage you to stay positive and beat the January blues this year! Happy New Year to you all and thank you for supporting me in my first year of blogging.

I hope you all have a wonderful 2020 full of joy and lovely moments!