We all know January is a tough month – it’s dark, it’s cold, it’s wet, and it couldn’t be further from the festivities and bright lights of December. But it doesn’t have to be so bad – here, we’ve offered five ideas for how you can get the most out of your January.
- Really commit to your new year resolutions
Chances are you’ve already forgotten what a lot of them were – so many New Year’s resolutions are abandoned after the first week of January it’s almost like they were never made at all. But that doesn’t mean you can’t pick them back up again! There’s nothing wrong with taking January as a rest month after the emotional intensity of the holiday period, but if your resolutions represent goals that are important to you, then you could make the month of January feel significantly better for yourself just by taking a couple of small steps towards that goal. For example, if you vowed to run a half marathon by the end of the year but haven’t even picked up your trainers – just jog to the end of the road and back. It may not be a 5k, or even a 1k, but it’s a commitment that you will feel good about.
- Treat yourself
Everybody knows that January is a miserable month, and for that reason it’s a great idea to treat yourself at least once and remember that life can still be fun! Whether you choose to go wine tasting near seattle or enjoy something more low key like a trip to the movies, a little self indulgence can go a long way when we’re struggling through the most depressing month of the year. Looking after yourself doesn’t have to be boring, and giving ourselves a treat once in a while is healthy.
- Look after your physical health
After all the decadence of December – and often November, just because we can – January is the ideal month to start trying to look after our physical health. You can use this website to look at dietary vitamin supplements which can be a great tool if they’re approved by your healthcare provider, and it’s also a great time to try and learn some new recipes. As most people are trying to help their bank accounts recover from Christmas by staying in, it’s a great month to try out some new dishes for yourself without the temptation of going out and eating unhealthy foods with friends.
- Find something great to watch
All those long evenings in the first month of the year have to be good for something other than worrying about the year ahead and languishing in the comedown of Christmas – and they are. This is the best month to binge a show you’ve been meaning to watch forever, or whatever the latest hype is about. It’s a great way to keep yourself occupied on lonely, cold evenings, but also to feel like you’re participating in the current popular culture and enjoying the same things as your friends – socialising in its most indirect sense.
Making our way through January always feels a bit tough, but hopefully one of these ideas helps to make it a little less cold and miserable.