Top Ways To Conquer Those January Blues

Yes, help me conquer those January Blues... PLEASE!

Undoubtedly, 2020 has posed some of the greatest challenges most of us have experienced in our lifetime. Whilst there is no magic wand to change everything back to how it was before the pandemic. For us all to lead a happy life, we need to care for ourselves, both mentally and physically.  

This New Year, I think it is worse than ever, as in January sets in, many start to feel those January Blues. It's not uncommon this time of the year to experience fatigue, sadness, difficulty concentrating,  seasonal affect disorder, can't sleep, and more!  But what if there was a way to try to beat those January Blues?

With the start of the new year, more so than any other year, I feel it is a great time to start getting yourself ready so you can put your best self forward in 2021-starting today!

Do Not Give In To The January Blues
The holidays are over, and come January; reality starts to set in for some. From the cold-ass nasty weather to the credit card statements coming in from holiday shopping. The realization our government is only issuing us a measly $600 stimulus check, New Year resolutions, and throw COVID in, you can see where the term January Blues comes into play more so than ever. (The most depressing time of the month is the third Monday of the month, which has the official name of "Blue Monday.")

Instead of giving in to "The January Blues," we are going to provide you with some tips to give yourself the kickstart for the best year! Here are our tips for giving yourself the best start to your year.

Review Your Routine
Before you can update your routine, it is always best to take an honest look at it. Secondly, when it comes down to reviewing your routine, it is crucial to take smaller steps to create long-term positive changes and not feel overwhelmed or depressed if you think you need to make some profound changes.

Big or small changes, it is crucial to understand that our routine has a significant impact on the way we look and feel, as if we do not feel good mentally and physically, we do not look good.  For example, someone that is always stressed and struggles to enjoy a full night's sleep is bound to look tired, have aging puffy eyes, and unkempt. Bottom line, you want to embrace a positive routine with achievable goals, not goals out of guilt because you feel you should. These WILL backfire on you, which can cause you to spiral backward, even become depressed or angry. That is not the goal here, so when setting goals, ONLY set realistic and achievable ones.

Start Your Day Off With A Bang
When redesigning your routine, keep in mind that it all starts in the morning. The first moments after you get up can set the pace for the rest of the day and even influence your mood! So, start by reviewing what you usually do and how you can improve it.

The best way to set your mood for the day is to do something you enjoy or think you will since we are making some changes. For example, you might decide to start your day off by exercising instead of scrolling through social media. Switch out that bagel with cheese for a healthy smoothie. Take time to eat with your significant other  Or something I love, which is to start your day off with a morning skincare routine.   See below how you can implement some of these.

Boost Your Mood With Healthy Food
The expression you are what you eat has never been more real. Life is all about balance. Our body's health needs to have healthy water, vitamins, antioxidants, oils, and other nutrients.  

Furthermore, what we eat can significantly influence our energy level, mood, and motivation.  The key here is not to think this is about dieting but more about finding a nutritional regime that brings you the happiness you need to feel at your best while also helping you achieve your fitness goals.

If you are unsure where to start, load up your fridge with fresh vegetables and fruits, unprocessed ingredients, and natural foods. Then, check out some communities that can help you discover a new way of eating. For example, you might accept an alternative challenge, such as Meatless Monday or Veganuary - which are in full swing during this time of the year. So, you won't ever be short of handy resources!

Implement A Morning Skincare Routine
One crucial step to tie into your morning routine is an effective skincare routine. To rock your day, you need to be prepared, and your skin is not excluded.

To not overwhelm yourself, you want to stick with a somewhat easy skincare routine.  And yes, skincare does not have to be complicated. And boy does TreCeuticals realize this, which is why they've created a skincare line with three powerful active ingredients, achieved in three simple steps, three minutes a day.
 
This simple 3-step skincare routine combines three highly effective active ingredients to exfoliate, hydrate, and smooth the skin. Plus, their secret sauce, which is CBD oil.

Commit To Using Beauty Products Free Of Harmful Ingredients
The skincare industry has slowly become more safety-conscious in the past few years, but it needs consumers' help to invigorate the push toward more EWG verified beauty brands. If a product has an "EWG Verified™" logo on it, this means it meets EWG's strictest standards and contains none of EWG's chemicals of concern. Furthermore, all companies that are EWG Verified have disclosed full transparency regarding formulations and their manufacturing process. This further means that this product is safe and healthy.

Beat Those January Blues By Exercising
When it comes to feeling energized and in a better mood, nothing works better than exercising. The benefits of exercising are enormous. Ever hear the expression "A runners high." Well, this isn't a myth; that sense of euphoria is real. That feel-good boost you get from those positive feelings washing over you is what you experience with the runners high and a sense of accomplishment.

You see, exercising releases endorphins and has many benefits for your body's health both physically and mentally, like:

• Boosts self-esteem by helping you look younger as working out brings more oxygen to your skin cells, leaving you with skin that's nourished and firmer
• Better sleep
• Decreases anxiety and stress levels
• It gives you more energy
• Physical shape
• Enhanced sex life

Help, I Want To Work Out, But I'm Afraid To Go To The Gym
There are plenty of exercising options out there that does not require you to go to the gym. While some look at exercise to get out of the house, this has been a must for me.  With Covid, there is that struggle- with going to a gym and being around people who are not wearing masks to getting the hell out of the house. Our suggestion is to start small. You can do some activities outside, like walking, bike riding, even hiking.

Additionally, you can find tons of workout programs on Amazon Prime Videos, from Pilates to cardio, weight lifting, even mediation. This brings us to our next tip... Meditate

Adjust Your Mind, Mood, And Health By Meditating
Of course, this collection of January Blues tips are designed to make you look your best and help you feel confident and energized. Yet, sometimes, we are at the mercy of aspects in our lives that we don't think can affect our physical health as much. So, when trying to give your skin a healthier appearance, toning-up that body, or vowing to eat a bit healthier, these are not the only things to consider! We need also need to readjust our aura.

For example, the way we deal with everyday events and the level of stress we withstand during our daily lives can significantly affect our physical health. And, if you have been exploring this connection, you might have also encountered many remedies that can help you keep your stress levels low and feel more energized.

Though you may not eradicate the roots of stress, you can minimize its effects on your body. One of the easiest and most achievable stress-relieving techniques is meditation.

Meditating for as little as 15 to 20 minutes a day has the power to help you raise self-awareness and understand in-depth how you react to daily events. In turn, this can help your body to:

• Repairs and revitalizes
• Lowers your blood pressure
• Relaxes you
• Improve the quality of sleep
• Even give your complexion a fresh and youthful glow.

DIY Beauty Tips To Beat The January Blues
This has been a favorite pastime of mine, DIY Beauty. However, I know many are not like me and solely rely on their hairstylist, nail tech, even aesthetician to fulfill their beauty needs, and now with COVID have let themselves go.  

But in 2021, beauties, this does not need to be the case. There are plenty of at-home beauty treatments you do for yourself, and trust me; you will feel so much better when doing them. See some of my favorites below.

• Give Yourself An At-home Facial
• Bag Those Puffy Eyes
• Magnetic Eyelashes
• Do Something Different With Your Hair
• Redlight Therapy

Look After Your Smile
Our smile says a lot about our health and lifestyle and can significantly influence our confidence level. Indeed, our smile is what other people notice first upon meeting us, impacting our personal and professional relationships. Simultaneously, many adults don't go far beyond investing in teeth whitening methods because they believe that improving their smile is something they should have done when they were teens!

And, of course, the idea of wearing braces can be horrifying for everybody. However, today, there are alternatives that you might consider if you wish to start working towards the perfect smile. For example, an  Invisalign dentist might help you find discreet, almost-invisible solutions that can start yielding results in less than three months.

Some other tips to beat those January Blues and put your best self forward in 2021

• Less screen time, by taking a break from the news and social media
• Stay away from negativity
• Have a buddy in your corner, friend time
• Get your beauty sleep
• Ain't no sunshine, so try some light therapy to help with SAD
• Find a new hobby and stick to it
  

In conclusion, remember January is just one month of twelve, and if it is not all that great, so be it. That doesn't mean the other months will follow, especially if your try to implement some of these tips to kick January blues in the ass!