I always find January grey and miserable. In past years we have always had my husbands birthday to add a bit of sparkle to January. The festive cheer has gone, the decorations are down and the weather does not help. I am looking at how to survive the January Blues.
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Stop Expecting January to Feel Good
With January being the start of a brand new year. We often think that January is where we have a fresh start. In reality, we should look at January as a recovery month.
We have just gone through the festive season. Our bodies and minds are coming down from all the overstimulation, from late nights, too much of the good food and drinks, late nights and emotions. It is no wonder when we find ourselves in the doom and gloom of January we are feeling lower than we were.
Shrink Your Expectations
Every year most of us start the year with new year resolutions. We all make them to eat better, exercise more and so on. In reality, although January is the start of a new year, it really is not the time for these big life changes all at once. You can make changes in small ways that over time can increase through out the year.
- One tidy corner, not the whole house
- One nourishing meal, not a perfect diet
- One walk, not a new workout plan
Create Tiny Anchors of Comfort
One resolution I did make, is to have one little bit of comfort or tlc each day. These are just small things that put a little smile on your face each day.
- A morning hot drink in silence
- Lighting a candle at 4pm
- A short walk, even in the cold
- Changing into soft clothes early
- Looking after my skin using face creams day and night. Body butters or body creams after a nice warming shower
Feed Yourself Warmth
There is nothing nicer on a cold miserable day, than having a warming meal of comfort food. This is what I crave during the colder months. From warming porridge in the mornings to homemade soups and meals in the evening.
My slow cooker is worked hard during the colder months. I love nothing more than that smell of dinner cooking through the house, and knowing I have a nice comforting meal to look forward too.
Get Outside — Briefly
I am not one for keeping fit, but I do love to wrap up and go for a walk. Although, having a dog I have no choice as he demands his walk. Just a quick 10 minute walk will do wonders for your energy levels
In the meantime, keep reminding yourself Spring is approaching and soon we will notice the lighter mornings and evenings. The colours start blooming as nature starts to bloom.
How do you get through the January Blues?
I booked my summer holiday to Spain. Going in June
That is something to look forward too
January is always a tough month – these are such good suggestions! One thing we do in January is plan a trip for later in the year, so we have something to look forward to.
Making plans for the year is a good way to beat the January blues and have something to look forward too
I do agree that going outside does make a big difference, fresh air is great. My birthday is in January so that always helps me as I have that to look forward to x
Having a birthday in January does give you something to look forward too
Thank you very much for providing these valuable tips on successfully tackling the January Blues. Super useful.
We all suffer with January blues, so finding small ways to get through them is always helpful
We have taken to having our main holiday away in January. it really breaks it up and the dose of vitamin D is great.
That is such a great idea and who does not love a bit of winter sun
Yes, I try to be more mindful and create these tiny anchors of comfort. I usually start the day with a hot beverage alone, without checking my phone immediately after waking up, and somehow it truly brings me peace.
I start my day with a hot drink and I do go on my phone as I have daily chats with a friend where she messages late at night and I reply in the mornings
lots of great advice – do need to challenge myself to get out a bit more
I have been out already this morning, first challenge was getting in my car as the frost was so heavy
Plenty of great self-care advice here. I do love to go for walks where possible, both short and long. Part of the issue is also how we perceive these things. We are all told January is a depressing month and the grey wet weather doesn’t help. Changing our mindset, surrounding ourselves with people and things that we love, doing things we enjoy can have a positive impact.
This is so true, which is why looking at January as the month you reset and recharge after the busy time we have all been through, makes much more sense and makes January a much easier month
I agree with you,i never expect much in January so i’m not disappointed if it feels dulls/boring.I get out often but only for walks as soon as Jan ends i feel much better
In fairness January is bound to be dull and miserable, following December
I agree. I love how you have mentioned little comfort rituals like the soft clothes and lighting a candle. I have even kept one set of fairy lights up for a bit of colour.
It is the little things, cosy socks and candles lit. Both myself and my daughter have little clear fairy lights up and they give me that bit of comfort.
I consumed many Christmas chocolates throughout the whole of December. I have tried to reduce my sugar intake in January as I was feeling so sluggish!
Although I shouldn’t I ate a lot of chocolate as well, and still have some sitting here and trying to cut back and be good
I’ve found that sticking to a routine with my sleep, even on weekends, helps a lot. Especially being up when the sun rises so you get the most of the daylight
A good sleep routine is good, my sleep is ver erratic and I have not slept properly in 11 months. Which is something I am going to work on this year
changing into soft clothes early is my favorite way to relax after a long day. lighting a scented candle really helps brighten my mood.
I am the same, I am lucky I work from home so I can wear comfortable clothing all through the day
This is such a comforting and realistic take on January. Seeing it as a recovery month makes so much sense.
After all the busy days and nights from December. It is no wonder we feel so down in January, and it is a recovery month where we learn to adapt back to normal routines
I love the idea of comfort anchors. It’s the little things in a day that can really keep you centered and spark a little joy.
It is finding something each day that puts a smile on your face or just makes you feel cosy
Shrinking your expectations is such a good one. And I really like the examples you’ve used. Makes it feel so much easier to do! I’ve seen lots of people talk about January as a reset month. I really like that! Absolutely takes the pressure away from what you usually see online.
Claire
January has always been that time of year for new resolutions and these are huge changes that sometimes are unrealistic. Looking at January as that time to reset after December is a great way to adapt and look forward to the new year
This is a tough time of year to push through! It is so gray and dismal here in upstate new york, it does take an effort to make the most of it. I hope to be able to move to a nicer, warmer place!
It is grey and miserable here in the UK as well
Great tips, simple, realistic ideals to help us all through Jan! Loved the focus on small steps and self care 🙂
Corinne x
No one likes January, so little things we can do to make it a little nicer is a win for me
January blues are the worst, and I love these ways you’ve written here on how to survive them. Getting outside on a dry day is a great way to get rid of the blues. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to get out in nature!
Wrapping up and going for a walk always helps me
You’re so right, January is a tough month for sure. The tips are perfect especially what you mentioned about creating tiny anchors of comfort. I love it because it doesn’t require a huge change in lifestyle. Makes so much sense to me.
It is just the little things that can mean so much to our self care