Whether you love New Year’s Eve or you loathe it, there is no escaping the fact that it is creeping up on us. Whilst we know that some people use this time to make resolutions for the year ahead, we want to focus more on the shorter term. January can be a tough month to get through, with the comedown after the holiday season, credit card bills rolling in and the cooler weather bringing us down. As such, it is now a good time to make a few plans for January so that you can kick off the new year with a bang.
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Get organised
If you do nothing else in the new year, this is the one that you want to conquer. You will feel good if you can take a little time to get organised and begin the new year feeling on top of everything.
Everyone has a different weakness round organisation, something that they would really like to get on top of. You might need to have a good clear out at home and get rid of clutter that has been weighing on your mind. It might be that you grab a calendar and book every important date and occasion in it for the year ahead. It might be that you are not great at getting to work on time every day so you need to get a better morning routine in place to help you with this.
Whilst we appreciate that this is probably the least exciting prospect on the list (you really should give at least another one of them a go!), it is probably the one that will make the biggest difference to the start of your year.
Take up a new hobby
There is nothing more invigorating than learning something new. It gives our confidence and self-esteem a boost and it opens us up to further opportunities and possibilities. It also teaches us something new to us, and who knows where that might lead?
Is there something that you have always been keen to try? Perhaps you want to try singing lessons or take up a photography course? Or maybe it’s been horticulture that has captured you and you could make next year the year that you explore that fully.
It might be that you want to enjoy exercise more next year, so look around for a hobby that interests you and gets you moving. You might choose to take up a new sport or try out a brand new fitness class or gym. You could get a friend involved and make it a social occasion to look forward to every week.
Start keeping a gratitude journal
Everyone has those days, sometimes weeks and even months, where we feel that everything is going wrong. It can seem to be bad luck after bad luck and it can often become something of a self-fulfilling prophecy as we struggle to find any spark or joy in our lives.
A great way to combat this is by starting a gratitude journal. You can make this one as simple or as lengthy as you would like it to be. All that you need to do is grab a notebook and make that your gratitude journal for the year.
Take the time every evening, or just as you go to bed, to write down something that you are grateful for that day. You might keep it to one sentence each night or perhaps you will set yourself the goal of thinking of three things that made you smile that day. You should soon feel the benefits of keeping a gratitude journal and you will want to keep it going.
Book yourself a minibreak
Is there ever a time that you need a minibreak more than in January? This will give you something exciting to look forward to when Christmas is becoming a distant memory.
Think about where you would love to visit or just take a look at the best deals and go for a mystery destination that is a complete bargain. Make it a social thing and go with friends or fly solo if you want a little time to yourself to recharge.
If this is simply out of your budget to do, do not despair as a mini-break can still be a possibility. You do not need to jet off to tropical climes or a fun city break to enjoy a little treat. Make a date with friends to go and stay with them for a weekend in January. You can enjoy a slow weekend together with lazy breakfasts and late starts and lots of time for chatting and laughter.