Today is supposed to be the gloomiest day of the year. Hang on, it's only 21st January, so does that mean it's all uphill from here? Alix Needham, an expert in lifestyle management who runs a successful practice at The Joshi Clinic in London, explains why there's no need to hibernate - get out there and live a bit!

Shake off the January blues 

Technically December the 21st is the first day of winter. However, today has been designated the most miserable day of the year.  Falling a full month after the Christmas festivities,  when the excesses of the holiday season have faded, resolutions have been broken and motivation is at  an all time low,  you can find yourself  feeling as  grey and gloomy as the winter weather.

 However, don’t be tempted into hibernation  waiting for spring  to unfold  but challenge those feelings of lethargy by thinking of the year ahead as a new and exciting place you are setting out to visit. And, like all great journeys, having a good map and guide book to will help you  plan and get the most of out of the trip. So, to shake off those posts Christmas blues and park  those worries about your waistline and impending credit card bill , use these five simple kick starts to help you on your way.

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  • Clear a path.  Sort out your wardrobe, take those unwanted presents to the charity shop, tackle that paper work and sort those kitchen drawers. You will be surprised how much better you will feel when you can actually see the wood beyond the trees and create a clearer sense of space around yourself. It’s also an exercise class you don’t have to pay for!
 
  • Dress for the trip. The weather may be grey but you don’t have to be. Dress in warm colours and keep as much colour in your life and around you as you can. Now that the decorations have gone, replace them with flowers and keep the Christmas fruit bowl topped up
 
  • Tune up the engine. If the gym is not a preferred pit stop but you want to lose weight, gets the momentum going by wrapping up and taking  brisk walks no matter what the weather. Download your favorite book or album  to listen to as you walk,  better still use this time to think through what  you want to achieve for the year ahead.  The fresh air will get those endorphins working and your brain buzzing!
 
  • Get into gear Make a plan of what you want to achieve in the coming year, write it down and keep it somewhere prominent, on your desk or the front of the fridge. Adapt and expand is as you move forward.  Make a commitment to certain dates - that school reunion in February or a French class in April,
 
  • Hit the road. The sunshine may seem a long way off but get those holiday plans into gear now.  Why wait until the summer, stop over with a mini break now?  A weekend away with friends or a loved one, somewhere you have never been to before,  even if it’s 50 mile down the road.  A B& B with a roaring log fire and your best friends can be as warming and energising as a day on the beach.