Joanna Stich

Once the clock strikes midnight on the 31st of December, we all make the New Year Resolutions which usually are broken within the first week. Go to the gym, quit smoking, drink less coffee, quit sweets, dry January etc. We have all been there! Well, this year I have decided rather than giving up something and feeling bad about myself for not sticking to it, I am going to show you 5 ways you can feel better about yourself and help you beat the Wet January Blues.

1. Catch up with Friends

Those of us who are lucky enough to have 2 weeks off for Christmas (yeay us!) will most likely get to see our close and distant family (we all have those family members who we only see at Christmas, Weddings and Funerals) and all the friends who live abroad and are home for Christmas. Often we don’t actually get to see our “usual” friends that we meet perhaps once a month, or previous work colleagues for a much needed catch up (I meant gossip). January is great for this type of activities, as we tend to have less money to spend after going overboard at Christmas and a coffee and a scone with a pal really won’t break the bank. I’m also sure your local cafes will also thank you for supporting them during much quieter January too.

2.  Treat Yourself

No, I don’t mean go and eat a bag of sweets. I mean go and get your hair or nails done. I am sure the salons will be much quieter in January and new hair always makes me feel much better about myself! Another great idea is to go through the likes of Deal Pages or Groupon as a lot of beauty clinics/spas will have special offers for the new year. (Make sure you are using a legitimate site) You will get a hefty discount of the regular price.

3. Finish Your Projects

January is a great month to finish off all of those projects you have been putting off! December is usually too busy, and as mentioned above everyone seems to be on the “poorer” side in January so taking time to finish painting the house, reading the book you started 2 months ago, frame all the photographs is the perfect time to do that without feeling like you’re missing out on the social events in your calendar.

4. Experiment with Food

I for one will definitely do that this month! I got the Half Hour Hero Book by Roz Purcell for Christmas and I cannot wait to experiment. Who said you can’t learn how to cook at home? Try the recipes with your partner, spend time together cooking and having date nights at home by the fire. It’s a great way to discover new food, perhaps healthier? (Great idea if you or your other half is actually going to the gym!).

5. Book a Holiday

Well, this is the most obvious one! There are major sales happening across airlines such as Easy Jet, Aerlingus and Ryanair for number of destinations as well as Travel Agents offer a preferable rates for various destinations. Nobody says you have to book a summer holiday but a city break sounds just as good and definitely lifts your spirits and gives you something to look forward to. I will definitely try my best to complete the majority of my Travel Bucket List this year.

That’s my few simple tips of making January that little bit more bearable and it does not have to cost you a fortune. What are your ways to make January brighter? As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Joanna x