Struck with the January blues

It’s that time of year where a lot of us fall in to that miserable winter gloom. Who can blame us? December was filled with festivities, a huge build up to Christmas day, our own body weight in chocolate and of course NYE celebrations and all of that time setting goals for 2015. We blinked and it was all over! We’re back at work thinking to ourselves ‘reality sucks!’. So here I am hiding from the freezing cold (its literally been snowing as I type this), giving you some of my top tips for getting through January!

1)  Treat yourself!

Yes, I know. We’ve only just had Christmas, but after buying all them gifts for everybody we’re allowed to treat ourselves..right? The start of a year can mean many changes for a lot of people and one thing I like to change is my make-up. Yep, living on the edge as always! I’m always lucky enough to get a beautiful new make-up bag for Christmas each year and I really look forward to stocking it up with new products as well as old favourites! This year, Soap and Glory have got a big place in my make-up bag and FYI if you’re looking for the best winter nude lip colour the Sexy Mother Pucker gloss stick in nudist is a must! You can even kiss chapped lips goodbye!

2)Beat the flu!

This time of year is the worst for catching every cold and virus known to man! Everywhere you go people are coughing and sneezing! There’s nothing worse than planning a healthy year of fitness with visions of being a gym bunny and then BAM, you’re struck down with the flu and before you know it you’ve not been the gym since January 1^st! Sometimes there’s just no avoiding winter colds, but if we build our immune system up we’re a bit more likely to fight them off and avoid them all together! I’m no expert but below are the things I find pretty handy when it comes to flu season!

- Multivitamins

- Echinaforce (Echinacea drops) these don’t taste great but also help to fight any cold or flu symptoms!

- Carex anti-bacteria gel, because people really don’t take notice of ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’.

- Fruit! May be common sense but I sometimes need reminding just how good fruit is for us. Whack some in a blender and create a super green juice and 1 a day really should help to keep the doctor away!!

3)  Have some me time!

December really was a hectic month! We literally shopped until we dropped, opened presents with the family, partied with friends and did more socialising than we do all year! We put quite a lot of pressure on ourselves in January, especially those with a long list of New Year’s resolutions!  Don’t be so hard on yourself, its fine to have goals but just remember you have 12 whole months to achieve them! Its ok to sit in your dressing gown, watching the tv with some left over Christmas chocolates and skip the gym now and then! We’re all human and no matter what you have on your list of resolutions- being happy should be at the very top! So pop the kettle on, make yourself a cuppa and relax! The gym will still be open tomorrow!

 2)  Be active!

This may go completely against what I’ve just said but- hear me out! As well as having those cosy pampering nights in, exercise is also an amazing mood lifter so it is important to add it to your schedule. No matter what your goals are, putting those trainers on and heading out to the gym or for a long walk/run WILL benefit you both mentally and physically! We all have them ‘the worlds against me’ days where we just want to get back in bed and end the day early, but I guarantee some exercise will turn your mood right around and make you ready to take on the world! So what are you waiting for?

3)  Plan!

What do you want to do this year? Where do you want to go? We have 11 ½ months left of the year, sooo much can happen in that time. So get proactive, make lists, organise things and give yourself something to look forward to! January can be miserable but if you’re counting down to a summer holiday or working towards career ambitions then it may be just that bit better!

That's it! My January blues survival kit, don't worry guys before you know it summer will be here and we'll all have that spring back in our step (as well as the golden tan that I'm missing right now!) Don't let January be a gloomy month, make the most of every day! This cold weather is a chance to wrap up in our favourite winter clothes- or just snuggle under a blanket with a hot chocolate and watch a DVD! Yes, I know how old/sad that makes me sound but after a hectic December, we all just feel like hibernating in January- don't we!?