Blue January – Blue Monday 20th January 

Often, towards the end of January, we may start to feel a little blue. Maybe we have lost motivation with our new year’s resolution, maybe we are struggling with the winter darkness and cold, maybe it just feels too long since Christmas. Whatever is getting you down, here are some tips for getting through those January blues.

Hope for the year ahead.

Think about what you are looking forward to this year – plan to do some things you enjoy.

Goal setting – many people towards the end of January feel like they are already failing their new year’s resolution – think about planning a realistic and achievable way to meet your goal. Is there a way to break it down into smaller steps?

Remember – the days are getting lighter. It can seem like the winter and the cold are endless, but we have almost made it through January, the sunset is getting later, and the weather will get warmer again.

Low budget?

Many people struggle in January due to the cost of Christmas, and the long gap until being paid in January. If you are struggling with money, there may be help available. You may wish to check if you are eligible for support with heating bills due to cold weather. You can contact Citizen’s Advice for support with this.

Try some free or low-cost activities to have fun – you could go on a nice walk in nature, go to a museum, try on ugly outfits in shops, play a game, do some art, or visit a library to borrow some books to read.

Coping with feeling down

Try doing activities that you enjoy. Activities like baking, drawing, reading, gaming and watching your favourite show or film are great for those dark winter evenings.

Connect with people you care about. You might want to call or text people family or friends – or even invite people over for a “Brew Monday” – and have a good catch up over a hot drink.

It’s a good idea to try and get some daylight and fresh air when you can, but be careful going out if it’s icy, and make sure to wrap up warm.

If you are feeling overwhelmed, try some mindfulness strategies to bring you back into the moment. You might want to focus on your senses and pay attention to what’s around you, or you could just take some deep breaths.

Recognise if you need more help

The winter months are often difficult, but it’s important to seek help if you find yourself feeling depressed on most days. Your doctor can discuss these feelings with you.

If you are feeling suicidal you can contact below for help. Samaritans: 116 123

Crisis Team: 0800 0516 171

You can also text Shout to 85258

MAIN’s New Year Self care Resolutions Guide

New Year self-care resolutions

New years can be a great time to think about what you want to do in the next year. However, it can be overwhelming when there is so much focus on what you should be achieving. Sometimes the best new years resolutions are based around looking after ourselves and feeling our best.

Here are some ideas for a new years resolution to focus on feeling your best, instead of achievements:

· Learn to be kind to yourself when you have to take a break.

· Take some time each day to go outside and get fresh air.

· Practice asking for help when you need it.

· Make sure to bring a comfort item with you everywhere, that you can use when you are feeling anxious or overwhelmed.

· Spend time every week on a special interest or something that brings you joy

· Start writing a journal of positive things that you have done, however small, so you can look back and be proud of yourself.

· Practice mindful strategies when you are feeling stressed.

· Plan some time to rest each day, whatever that means to you.

We had our older groups try out this activity and we got some brilliant self-care resolutions

Aged 36 ‘ Try new foods (e.g. Ramen), be more active and save up for a staycation’

Aged 25 ‘ Be more healthy’

Aged 14 ‘Be more active and be more good mentally’

 Aged 19- ‘Pass my Level 3 in Animal Management 

Aged 21- ‘Be able to graduate from University. Keep up my collecting. Walk to family whenever possible as much as possible. Try not to panic when forced with uncontrollable situations’.