BEAT THE JANUARY BLUES
Here’s a lovely treat for every day of the month and you can even tick them off as you go!
- New Year’s Day – have a lie in and don’t feel guilty. You need to ease into the New Year feeling excited, not exhausted!
- Why not create a special bedtime routine this month – go to bed a bit earlier than you usually would, have a long bath, light a candle, and have a cut-off time for your mobile phone. The benefits of having more sleep are huge and will reduce stress and tension and you will also feel happier.
- Cook a new dish – this month is all about trying new flavours and experimenting in the kitchen. It will seem impressive but is also a brilliant way to use up your larder ingredients.
- Fill your home with colour and buy a bunch of fresh flowers for your home. Try and replenish regularly so you always have a fresh bunch.
- Scented candles or diffusers. Our absolute faves now are from Norfolk Coastal Living – based in Holt but also online. Your house will smell divine, and they will give you more pleasure than you can imagine! You can even commit to a subscription so you know your house will smell heavenly forever!
- Forget out resolutions – these can be daunting and unmotivating. A list works well and gets any worries down on paper instead of staying in your head and causing sleepless nights. Be realistic and don’t fill it with longer-term goals that may take a year and de-motivate you. Write down your day to do chores, get them done and tick them off! Have you ever read ‘Eat That Frog’ by Brian Tracey?
- Drop into your favourite bookshop and treat yourself to a new book. There is something wonderfully nostalgic about browsing the shelves and breathing in that new book smell.
- Exercising is good for the soul – even if you aren’t a runner or an avid exerciser, go out for a long walk and take some deep breaths. You will feel fantastic.
- Meet a friend for coffee and have a proper catch-up – make sure you give yourself plenty of time so you don’t have to cut your time together short and rush off.
- If you are a keen reader but don’t always have the time to read as much as you would like, then audiobooks are a brilliant solution. Fantastic for dog walks and long car journeys!




- Book a holiday or a weekend away or a holiday. Now is the time to get to do some research and get sorted so you have something to look forward to. You will have far more choice if you make the time now
- New clothes – the sales are here. Instead of buying things you don’t really need, buy something you have hankered after but couldn’t justify at full price. You will never regret it!
- Eat out – sometimes it’s bliss not to have to cook at the end of a busy day. It doesn’t need to be the most expensive or smart, but it always feels such a treat and saves shopping or washing up for one evening.
- Book yourself a treatment with a beauty therapist – we suggest a deep cleansing facial to get your skin off to a good start for the new year. Our skin can struggle with the heating and cold weather so it will thank you for giving it a boost with some extra special care.
- You are halfway through the month and it’s time for a clear out. Nothing feels better than a good clear out – yes, it’s that time to get rid of the old clothes gathering dust in the back of the wardrobe. Pop them all in bags and take them to a charity shop. If you are feeling virtuous, then you could extend to clearing other drawers and wardrobes. You’ll be amazed at how much rubbish you have and how brilliant you’ll feel when it’s done. A rainy day is always a good choice.
- Watch a good film you have never seen before. Ensure all phones are away, be prepared with drinks and snacks, and properly enjoy it without any distractions.
- Sea air – nothing beats some great big gulps of salty air. Not only will it accelerate your ability to absorb oxygen, but will also naturally increase your levels of serotonin, the key hormone that stabilises your mood, feelings of well-being and happiness.
- Treat yourself to a new set of bed linen and towels. Nothing feels more luxurious than climbing into bed with beautiful new sheets and a soft fluffy bath towel.
- Get in touch with an old friend. This is the year to reignite some friendships – give them a call or send them a postcard (a little old-fashioned but something lovely about it too).
- With heating prices soaring, consider buying yourself an electric blanket and switch it on 15 minutes before you get into bed. You will wonder why you didn’t buy one sooner!




- Visit a town or a village you haven’t been to before. Wander around, have coffee, and soak in the atmosphere. It doesn’t need to be miles away or take hours to get there but it’s fun to find out the history of a new town or village and feel you are learning something in the process.
- Give meditation a go – it takes practice and needs to be done consistently but the benefits include alleviating stress, boosting your productivity, staying focused, improving your mindset, regulates your mood. Have you ever tried a shatki mat?
- Try your hand at photography – the colours and light in winter can be fantastic and you’ll be amazed what you can capture once you start feeling creative.
- Do something kind – whether it’s for someone you already know or a stranger in the street. Acts of kindness mean so much to others and cost nothing.
- Get stuck into a good Netflix or Amazon Prime series. There is nothing better on a cold winter evening in front of the fire.
- If you work from home, then think about buying yourself a proper office chair. Your back will thank you for it and if you can’t justify a high spend, then it’s well worth looking on Facebook Market Place for something more reasonable. If you work in an office, then make sure your chair provides the back support you need and make a concerted effort to sit up straight and get up regularly to stretch your legs.
- Take a trip to the theatre or an art gallery! Look at what’s on locally and try and support the smaller theatres if you can too.
- Start making some plans for February – it is fast approaching, the days are getting a little longer and the snowdrops will start appearing soon. Spring is on its way!
- Try listening to some new music – broaden your mind, ask friends what they like and put some new albums on Spotify. In the old days, of course, you’d go and buy a new record but it’s all here on tap for us on our phones now for listening in an instant!
- Make the most of the present moment. How often do you find yourself thinking about what happened yesterday, or what might happen tomorrow? Make a conscious effort to live in the present moment more frequently. When was the last time you sat down, closed your eyes, and took a deep breath?
- And Smile…. A simple smile prompts the brain to produce endorphins and serotonin, causing positive emotions. That’s a good enough reason for us!