10 Ways To Beat The January Blues

Today is known as one of the most depressing days of the year. If you find these Winter months get you down here are some tips to hopefully improve your mood and maybe your skill set.

1. Get Artistic

Elspeth McLean / Via elspethmclean.com!mandala-stones/c3u4

The days are shorter which can make it feel like it's always dark. Why not brighten your house with a new artistic endeavour?

You can make mandalas or grab a colouring book. Put whatever you create on the walls to brighten the space.

2. Read a great book

Via mikelavere.com

According to Google over 129,864,880 books exist! If you believe you don't like to read I imagine you just haven't found something right for you. Pick any subject and see what you can find.

3. Channel your inner child

Via flickr.com

Kids jump in mud puddles and play in the snow until their noses and cheeks are rosy. When was the last time you did? Grab a couple friends and go run in the rain or play tag in a park. I think the possibility of belly laughs counteracts feeling a little silly and maybe a little cold.

4. Hibernate without judgement

Via cdn.slowrobot.com

Don't want to go outside? Do you only want to bundle up, sip on tea and watch TV?

Then do it! But do it without telling yourself all the other things you should be doing. It is certainly much more difficult to enjoy anything if you're being unfairly critical of yourself.

5. Spend time with people you like

Via ew.com

Why not get friends, co-workers or family together and spend a night in?

You could have a games night, dinner party, wine tasting, book club or watch old movies.

To get the most out of your time together put the phones aside. Let's make awkward eye contact fun again!

6. Get organised!

Via darlingdusters.com

Why wait until Spring to do a big clean? Give away things to charity you no longer use and declutter.

Here's a tip, start with one cabinet or wardrobe at a time. If you try to take on an entire room you might feel overwhelmed, which will make it more difficult to start.

7. Get physical

Via wp.nootheme.com

Not feeling motivated for exercise? What if you didn't even have to leave the house?

Thanks to youtube there are tons of online pilates or yoga videos. You can tone, gain muscle and sweat, all from the cosiness of your living room.

This time of year most people want to work on shedding extra pounds. Starting an at home regime means you don't have to worry about opening times or forgetting your gym gear.

8. Start a new hobby

Via bookloversunite.wordpress.com

Thanks to the internet you have thousands of hobbies at your finger tips. Arts and crafts, learning to play an instrument, home brewing, painting, writing, knitting, beauty tips and so much more.

Maybe you are the next cross stitch legend and you don't even know it!

9. Vitamin D

Do you find the grey days really get you down? Seasonal Affective Disorder is a form of depression that usually appears in the Winter months. A link has been found between the lack of Vitamin D and the low mood. In the Spring and Summer months we usually get enough Vitamin D as it gets released in our bodies due to sunlight.

Take a supplement and some of your motivation and energy could return.

10. Play

Via lifereimagined.aarp.org

Ask yourself what you would find fun and get playing.

You could build a fort, get all the pillows and blankets in the house, grab some chairs and get constructing.

Or turn up your favourite song and dance (singing as loudly as possible is encouraged but not mandatory).

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If you are feeling low on energy this time of year, you are certainly not alone.

However, if you find yourself feeling down most of the time then it may be beneficial to talk to someone about that.

Your mood doesn't have to match the weather.

Don't let January to bring you down, it's only two months until Spring!