10 fun ways to beat the January Blues

Well! How quickly did that go?!  No sooner had we hung up our legwarmers for the festivities but we are now rapidly pulling them on and tucking our mince pie-full tummies into our hot pants and getting ready to dance it all off! ;)

Sometimes the January blues can hit – so we thought we would share our top ten ways in which to beat them off!

1. Smile!  Yep, it’s that easy!  Have you seen the film “Elf” – “I just like to smile.  Smiling’s my favourite”.  You may look a little weird, but believe us, it makes a big difference!  Go on, we dare you!

 2. Give yourself something to look forward to.  It could be a night out with pals, it could be a new lippy, or it could simply be a posh coffee on Friday.  Making plans for future events raising the spirits and gives you something to work towards.

3. Set Goals!  Not necessary New Year Resolutions, as people seem to think that these are easily broken – but achieveable goals – and not too many of them to start with, i.e. one of ours is to feature more photos around the office – so that we can see, at a glance, all the things we get up to that make us smile!

Another goal is to work with more primary schools in the UK and that is something we will be focusing on.  What do you want to achieve?

4. Move your body!  We all know it’s true, but exercise, even if it a brisk walk, makes a huge difference to not only our bodies, but to our minds too.

Good old endorphines spread joy and kick those January blues in the jacksie, leaving us feeling happy, refreshed and full of energy.  And with so many activities to choose from, especially with lots of places offering free trials to newbies, why not try them all – from dance, to archery, to walking, to basketball, netball, squash, or simply walking to the nearest coffee shop instead of driving.

We’d love to hear what activities you try – go on, we dare you! ;)

5. Do something for someone else!  Doing something for someone else makes us feel good!  Whether it be sharing something on social media for another business, telling someone they look nice, or offering to do the shopping for an elderly relative (does that sound corny?), what goes around comes around as we always say ;)

6. Book a holiday – January is a fab time to book, with lots of offers on – from long trips to mini breaks – or even day trips – where have you always wanted to go?

7. Take time out for you!  After the whirlwind of Christmas, have some “me” time – whether it be a long hot bath, a run, having an hour at dance class without anything else to think of except the next move, taking time out to spend on ourselves is vital and good for you!

8. Declutter!  Declutter your mind and your home!  A good old clear-out, even if it’s just one kitchen drawer, gives satisfaction.  Why not get rid of all the bits and pieces that have been lying around the house gathering dust – pop them on ebay and hey presto, money towards your holiday or new lippy!

9. Get together with friends.  PJ night watching 80s films, hit a dance class together, or take a walk to the coffee shop together – getting together with friends will give you a boost.

Chat about your plans and goals for the new year which will also help you to reach them.  Once you’ve told people what you want to achieve, they can help you get there.

10. Relax!  Life is for living not for stressing.

Think about what means the most to you and go for it, treasure it and enjoy it.  Sometimes we can all get wrapped up in striving for what we think makes us a success, but do you know what – most of the time you will find you are already successful!  That you have what really matters already.

Yep, we admire the Ferrari in the garage up the road, but we’d take our lot any day – being with family, doing what we love to do for a living, and taking the time to step out and look in and appreciate what we have – sounds cheesey but we do love cheese ;)

Here’s to a fantastic, happy and healthy 2015 – kick those January blues in the jacksie and enjoy yourself!