January can be a really tough month to get through! There is so much pressure to “start the year as we mean to go on” or “to make this year our best”. We always try to set goals for the year ahead but these are not always achievable which can sometimes make us feel worse.

So I have created this mini survival guide to help anyone who might be struggling through the month.

Reflecting on the Past Year

I think it is really important to take a look at the year we have just been through before looking forward and setting goals. It can be so rewarding looking at what we have achieved, what went well, and if any events happened that you would like to have handled differently.

I think it is really important to look at things in a positive light and not to focus too much on the negatives.

Setting Realistic Goals for the Month

Let’s be honest, we have all set crazy goals for the year ahead and not stuck to them in the first few weeks. I think this is all too much pressure. So we need to set small realistic goals for each month of the year which should make them more achievable.

Prioritising Self-Care

For some reason, a lot of people really struggle to make time for their own self-care. I think we have been living in a world that makes people feel guilty or a bit selfish for taking the time to do things for themselves. Self-care refers to intentional actions and practices people take to prioritise their physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

It doesn’t have to be a trip to the spa or anything fancy. It could be setting 30 minutes each week to go for a walk and listen to music, or even running a bubble bath and soaking with a good book.

Beating the Winter Blues

Getting out and getting some fresh air often helps you feel good, so during the harder months it can be really beneficial to get out in nature - for me, I love to get all wrapped up and take a walk on a really chilly day.

Celebrating Small Wins

I think this is another thing that people struggle with - we never really celebrate our achievements if they are not big things to shout about.