Yes, I know I’m supposed to feel all positive, perky and fresh starty at the beginning of January, but I don’t and I never do.

I have moments of it, but then it soon slips back into that flat, after the party feel as all the sparkle and warmth of Christmas becomes a distant memory and we drag ourselves back into the daily grind.

But enough misery and moping. Here are my top 5 tips to make yourself feel fab and sparkly and get over those New Year Blues.

1. Put on your Glad Rags

All those clothes you keep for special occasions that never come? Wear them now. Your super expensive stilletto heeled boots that you’ve worn twice but love, wear them to work with a sensible black skirt.All the bright colours you think aren’t appropriate as you chuck on yet another black polo neck? WEAR THEM! Wear that shocking pink vest with a black cardigan even though it’s winter.Drag out your sequins, your colours and the expensive buys that you never wear so as not to wear them out, and wear them all now.It’ll make you feel and look good, I promise…

2. Plan something

Anything. And plan it for soon. I know you’re poor after Christmas, but I’m not talking holidays to Barbados here. Plan yourself a theme day. Invite all your friends round, rent all the Pirates of the Carribean movies, buy some plastic swords and drink Rum.

In fact January contains 2 excellent excuses for partying. Burns Night on the 25th and Chinese New Year on the 26th. So get some Haggis and Whiskey in and watch Trainspotting, or order a Chinese Takeaway and watch Big Trouble in Little China. It’ll take your mind off January, I promise.

3. Watch your diet

But not in a boring way. I know that you feel all fat and disgusting after Christmas, but suddenly starting eating the most miserable minute portions of bland food after the excesses of Christmas is not the way to a happy you. By all means stop stuffing your face with chocolate for breakfast, but don’t deny yourself the luxury if you really want it. Treat yourself to a couple of gorgeous teeny tiny creations from Thorntons or Hotel Chocolat instead of polishing off a whole family sized bar of Dairy Milk.

Salad in winter is boring and makes you feel cold (this is a scientific fact from the Retro Chick research labs). Try cooking things you never have before. Soups, stews and risottos are all relatively healthy, easy to make, filling warming. Try squashes such as butternut squash or acorn squash, sweet potatoes are gorgeous mashed with low fat creme fraiche and spinach tastes loads nicer if you stir it into hot pasta with some low fat cream cheese.

4. Learn something

But only something you WANT to learn. If you always wished you could sew then beg, borrow or steal a sewing machine, buy a book on sewing, or see if your local college run any evening courses. Just promise it an hour of your life each week, schedule it in your diary and see how it goes. By the end of January you could be feeling all proud of the lovely new skirt you’ve created.

If you don’t enjoy it, stop, and try something new, this isn’t about punishing yourself, it’s about a sense of acomplishment and not feeling like a horrible grey wintery drudge.

5. Wallow

My last suggestion, and I know it’s against the spirit of January, but the skies are grey and if you feel that way too then wallow in it. Stay at home in your pyjamas all weekend under a blanket drinking hot chocolate. Watch sad films and cry. Eat all the leftover chocolate from Christmas and moan to anyone who’ll listen about how hideous and fat you are.

You’ll get fed up of it soon enough, but if that’s how you feel and none of the other suggestions help then do it.

But if you’re still wallowing by Valentines Day it may be time to seek professional help.