We’ve done it. We’ve made it to the end of January. And while you might want to hibernate all weekend once you clock off work, we think it’s worth marking.
Never mind that after three long years,
Brexit day has finally arrived. However you align politically, we can all agree we’re exhausted. But this day of days also marks the end of “January blues” – those excruciatingly long weeks after
Christmas that never seemed to end. And if you’re self-employed, you’ve (hopefully) filed your tax return by now. Congrats!
So to reiterate: we’ve made it. Here are a few ways to celebrate this weekend.Related... How To Improve Flexibility Day By Day – And Why It's So Good For You Start your weekend off with a (homemade) killer coffee.Of course, we’d all love to go out to our favourite coffee shop and order flat white after flat white – but we also want to stay in our PJs. Make a killer cup of coffee at home with these hacks from baristas. Whether you drink instant coffee, use beans, or grind your own, there are ways to make your fix even more delicious – before you get back in bed and watch
Netflix for another hour.Take yourself out for a winter’s walk.Wet? Get your raincoat. Muddy? Put on your wellies. Get wrapped up, take your favourite pal or a loved one, and spend a few hours nattering away about your week, your month, your future holidays, and things you have to look forward to. Walking outside is great for our mental heath, as we all know, so it’ll also give you a boost of energy for the rest of your weekend.
As our writer Rachel Moss puts it: “In a world where we’re surrounded by images of Insta-worthy perfection, that reminder that nature is, at times, ugly and unforgiving, is the most beautiful moment of them all. Sure, the flowers on a summer walk are lovely, fringing the path with colour and scent. But spotting a disobedient bloom poking out of the twigs during winter is an unparalleled joy.”Related... A Filter-Free Ode To The Absolute Joy Of Winter Walks 6 Things You Can Do To Boost Your Mental Wellbeing This Weekend Do, or start, a hobby.If you love gardening, drawing, painting, bouldering, badminton – whatever it is, this is the weekend to fit it into your schedule to boost your happiness levels.
Want to be active, but find the idea of hitting the gym mind-numbingly boring? Find something you love instead. It might be mindful running, wild swimming, Jiu Jitsu or boxing that sparks the shift. Perhaps it’s bouncing on a trampoline, learning a new dance style or trying fitness drumming. It’s a thing.
Perhaps you want to try something new – a creative activity, like calligraphy? Use these tips from experts on how to get going with beautiful handwriting. Make yourself a ‘fakeaway’.Save the takeaway money for a treat (see below) – and instead, cook up an absolute storm in your kitchen. Choose from three recipes of chicken rogan josh, vegetable chow mein or a prawn red curry – all from TV nutritionist, Dale Pinnock. You’ll get that feeling of satisfaction when you tuck into it. Or if you’d prefer to rustle up something quicker, try these instant pot vegetarian recipes – meaning you can chuck it all in while you luxuriate in front of the TV.Related... How To Stop The Thought Of Monday Ruining Your Sunday Go out dancing – but avoid the hangover.If you’ve committed to carrying on Dry January for more than just a month, you can still go out dancing (like no one’s watching). But if you do decide to have a drink or three this weekend, use these expert tips to make sure you don’t ruin the next day hungover in bed. Firstly, get clued up on the drinks that give you worst hangovers... and then avoid them. And then learn how alcohol experts, themselves, avoid hangovers – because the pros just know. Treating isn’t cheating.Give yourself a treat, something to indulge in. Browse through our pick of payday steals – or head to HuffPost UK’s shopping site, HuffPost Finds, to read all our latest brutally honest reviews of things worth your hard-earned cash. Related... An Introvert's Guide To Enjoying Exercise – By Introverts 'I Feel Powerful': Age Changes How We Exercise. These
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