15 ways to have more fun this January

Beat the mid-January blues with these great life-affirming strategies

Call up an old friend

If you’ve got a pal you haven’t spoken to for a while, give

her a bell. Text her first to establish the best time to call, then settle somewhere comfy and away you go. Lifelong friendships with people who know you well provide a strong support network and keep you in touch with your younger self.

Listen to some live music

Concert tickets are often expensive, but it’s surprising how much free music it’s possible to listen to. Maybe there’s a lunchtime gig in the arts centre, a recital in a church, or a jazz band at the pub. Researchers have found that when you listen to music you like, levels of the stress hormone cortisol in your body drop and your brain releases feelgood dopamine.

re-read a favourite book

Curling up with a novel you love is like being wrapped in a warm blanket. You may know the plot, but chances are, you’ll still enjoy spending times with characters who feel like old friends. Plus, academics suggest that re-reading a book enables you to remember the person you were back then, and see how you’ve moved on. So why not revisit a book from your childhood, such

as Winnie-the-Pooh or The Secret Garden?

Sing song!

Never mind if you’re tone deaf.

Just croon in the kitchen, warble in the shower, or go to a karaoke night. It’s estimated 2.8 million Brits now belong to a choir, and research at the University of Oxford shows singing with others exercises the brain and improves breathing,

posture and mood.

refresh your look

Most of us tend to stick to styles we know and trust, but a fresh haircut or colour can be a real boost and make us feel good about ourselves. Even a cheerful new lipstick shade can put a smile on our faces. Here at

Woman’s Weekly, we love Clinique Chubby Stick Intense in Mightiest Maraschino, £18.

Put on something bright & bold

Colour affects your mood, so ditch the dingy blacks and boring browns and draw good vibes towards you with vivid hues. Red is powerful and can make you feel energised. Yellow radiates a sunny, optimistic aura, while orange suggests warmth and fun. Too OTT? Then opt for a seaside blue for some serene calm, or a soft green for balance and harmony. Find out more about the psychological properties of colours at colour-affects.co.uk

Try a new taste

When you’re out with your partner or friends, try a different taste sensation, like an unusual dish, a cocktail with a silly name, or a dessert, fruit or cheese that’s new to you. If you don’t mind sharing, ask your companions what they think of it and rate the item by giving it marks out of 10. Trying something new can help you become more courageous and, you never know, you might even end up liking it!

Play a board game

Grab some kids – or adults – and settle down to a board-game battle. Classics include Monopoly, Scrabble, Cluedo and Pictionary, but we also love the more lively options of Mouse Trap, Operation and Hungry Hungry Hippos.

Spend time with good friends

A day out with your gal pals is not only a fab way of catching up but can also make you feel happier, as it often ends up in laughter. Friends increase your sense of belonging and help to reduce the risk of depression, so ban any interruptions from family and just focus on each other.

Watch a comedy

A funny film can really get you

giggling, and studies show laughter

also improves blood flow and may

boost your immune system, too. Plus,

it definitely works your stomach muscles. There are many lists of comedy movies online, but may we suggest Some Like It

Hot and What’s Up, Doc?

Invest in a charity buy

If you fancy a small splurge, why not head to your local charity shop and challenge yourself to buy something interesting for

under a fiver? It could be a pretty piece of china, a book by your favourite author, an old vinyl LP, a jigsaw, or an item of clothing that catches your eye. And even if you make a mistake, you’ll know your money has

gone to a worthy cause.

Take a dog for a walk

Walking a dog can

improve your fitness and sense of wellbeing. Research from the University of East Anglia found that spending

time outside has significant health benefits, including reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. If you’ve not got a dog, check out borrowmydoggy.com, which puts together dog owners and dog borrowers for ‘walks, weekends and holidays’.

Visit beautiful gardens

We humans love trees and plants, so for a top-up of cheerfulness head to the park or a more formal garden. The National Trust has a list of its properties (nationaltrust. org.uk), while the RHS website allows you to search for a nearby garden by entering your

postcode (rhs.org.uk).

Let’s dance!

There are heaps of good reasons to dance. The exercise

keeps you fit, improving the

condition of your heart, your bone strength and muscle tone. And it’s an activity with built-in sociability because you usually do it with others (though a quick stomp alone in the kitchen is still good). Whether it’s ballroom or belly dancing, jazz or jive, salsa or swing, it’s sure to be fun. Find local classes on

dancenearyou.co.uk

Indulge in some nostalgia

We all love to take pics, but we often forget to return to them. So look over some old photos that bring back happy memories. A picnic with friends maybe, a day out with the kids, or a summer holiday in the sun. You can also get special pictures

made into a book at snapfish.co.uk.