It's that time of year... It's cold, the weather keeps promising snow (then doesn't deliver anything other rain or sleet!) and for the freelancers around me, it's that dreaded time of year to prepare for the tax man. I had an amazing Christmas and New Year, I enjoyed a romantic weekend break away in Bath with Travelodge and I enjoyed a break away in Cornwall and Norfolk to recharge my batteries. However. Even with all these lovely parties and treats in store over the festive period, I've come back down with a bump and it seems a common theme between myself and the people around me. I'm, in all honesty, feeling pretty "meh". It's the January Blues and I for one can't afford to book myself into a spa or silent retreat (or eat my weight in leftover Terry's Chocolate Orange to compensate!) to cope with it... So what to do to defeat these horrid emotions when you're on zero budget? Here are some ideas to beat the January Blues whilst on a budget to pick yourself up: Watch my video on youTube: How To Beat The January Blues [youtube height="HEIGHT" width="WIDTH"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKYoNquGquQ[/youtube]
Enjoy a home spa - I have lots of Ted Baker gear from Xmas gifts and some luxury spa goodies from my visit to Champneys last year, paired with a Jo Malone candle and some relaxing music... Who needs to spend £hundreds on a spa day right now?! Nail painting - I've painted my nails a gorgeous coral colour and I've enjoyed making myself up when I've been feeling low. Throw in a hand massage, cuticle treatment & a base/top coat and you've got yourself some pretty nails to slip into your Instagram pics (or is that just me?!).
Celebrate the little things - once you've finished your accounts, treat yourself and/or a friend to a coffee and an hour reading your favourite magazine. Take out your best tea set, napkins and tea tray and make it ceremonial... Add a candle or a vase of freshly picked flowers to the tray to perk you up. Make up your bed with a new set of fresh linen - I adore getting under fresh covers, even in the middle of the day! Get watching some of your favourite "pick me up" films - or grab yourself a Cineworld card for £14.99 a month and you've really only got to go twice a month to make it worthwhile, I love it! I recently saw Wild on suggestion from "World of Wanderlust"... It's a little depressing, so go for Taken 3 this month to watch Liam Neeson kick butt! My "go to" films to lift my mood are Whip It, Chef, The Way Way Back, Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist or Pitch Perfect. 
Buy some flowers. If you're heading away from home for a few days, buy or pick some flowers and pop them in a vase/jug/teapot and have them and their stunning scent greet you on returning - it's a lovely idea I recently tried whilst working away. Listen to some new music, asking your friends and social media followers for their recommendations for whatever mood you're feeling at the time - you can follow my Spotify playlists here and I'm currently enjoying: Alt J, Daughter, Neon Lights, Hozier, Temples, George Ezra, Bear's Den, Spoon, Jungle, Little Comets & First Aid Kit to name a few...oh and AC:DC! Book yourself a holiday. Give yourself something to look forward to later in the year and aim for - I've booked myself an EPIC adventure for my birthday in April, more info to come on my "Around The World In 80 Stays" challenge very soon, eek! Break out the box sets, there's more interest in the likes of Breaking Bad (I'm so geeky for it. I've even created a Breaking Bad tea party!) Dexter, Game of Thrones, Madmen and other such addictive shows than actual films... It's so true, they're a great way to save some money and enjoy a relatively cheap date night. Everybody owns box sets nowadays, so ask your friends if you can borrow theirs if you are seriously penny pinching. My faves currently are American Horror Story, Gilmore Girls and Orange is The New Black... I've also got Sons of Anarchy, Boardwalk Empire & True Detective to get into - decisions, decisions! 
Get blogging - buy yourself a nice notebook (or get a load of mini waiter pads on the cheap if you don't mind what the outside looks like!) or break out your iPad/tablet and jot down the first 20 ideas that come to mind. Then start plotting some blog posts and get inspired wast you have some time to do so. Try meditation - I've been enjoying Headspace (free to try, followed by membership for more access options) and Buddhify (£3.99 one off download fee) to chill me out, even sat at my computer, this can work to help me focus. Read a book - I've got #GirlBoss ready to go for some girly business inspiration, Travel Secrets by Tanya Rose and my Blogcademy Workshop notes to get me stuck into my blogging plans. I also love dipping in & out of back issues of Fire & Knives magazine and my Molly Makes Blogging & Photography magazines to home in on my skills. Go for a walk (you can even borrow somebody's dog if you need an excuse!) or try running with a Couch 2 5K app on your phone (I even came across a zombie run app, which sounds so much fun as you run away from flesh-eaters, yes!) to ease you in slowly - keeping fit doesn't need to be costly. 
Inject some Radical Self Love into your life - Gala Darling has various options for you to subscribe to on her fantastic website to inspire you to learn to love yourself a little more. You can even get involved in her dedicated hashtags on social media to connect with others on the same mini project, it's fantastic fun and I've recently enjoyed a month of emails to help me enjoy my own company more. If you are really stuck for ideas, start handwriting - it's very therapeutic to write a quick letter or note to somebody and make their day whilst you're at it, doing a good deed! We spend so much time tapping away on our laptops and phones, it can actually be a shock to the system when it comes to picking up a pen, how sad is that?! 
What are you doing to beat the January Blues? Do leave a comment below and share your thoughts, I'd love to hear from you! Or get in touch via social media through Facebook, Instagram & Twitter for a natter about life in general! 
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