January - Try Something New
Try Something New
New Year is traditionally a time for making resolutions - active changes designed to improve the quality of our own lives and those of everyone around us.
That's why this month is all about trying something new.
Try something new for 30 days
Is there something you’ve always wanted to achieve? Is there an ambition you’ve long had but didn’t know where to start?
New habits start with small steps – whatever you want to have a go at, make a small change and stick with it for 30 days. That may not sound like a long time, but it might be the spark you need to make a permanent change.
Listen to this inspiring TED talk below, and have a go for yourself.
Big journeys begin with small steps
Make some small changes to your routine and they might just add up to a whole new outlook – try these suggestions or look for small positive changes of your own:
- Take a photograph of a new place every day - look for something you’ve never noticed before, such as a rooftop, the shape of a tree, the patterns of bricks in a wall, a bird you’ve never seen before
- Be in the moment - stand still and notice: what can you hear? What can you see or smell? Let your busy thoughts clear and focus on your senses
- Gather a group of friends and play a childhood game such as tag, hopscotch, frisbee – anything that makes you smile and brings back the joy of play
- Remind someone of how amazing they are, and recognise how amazing you are
- Tell someone every day that you appreciate what they do - it might be a nurse, the school crossing person or your postman. Make someone’s day and you’ll feel better too
- Give yourself a tech break - avoid television for a day, put down your phone for an hour or two every day, or take a pause from social media
- Set up a bird feeder outside your window and see who comes to visit - watch which birds like which food, and see how you can attract different birds
- Go to bed earlier than usual and see how you feel the next day and the day after; how are your energy levels?
Outdoor gyms and our brand-new fitness locker!
Exercising outdoors is a great way to improve your mood and your health - getting fit whilst enjoying the wonders our green spaces have to offer.
Help yourself to become more active by using one of the outdoor gyms located in our parks and green spaces. Look for the instruction boards, remember to take your own hand sanitiser, and follow COVID-19 guidelines.
You can find outdoor gyms at:
And if you fancy a new way of exercising: why not try our brand-new fitness locker?
You can now exercise safely outdoors with our qualified instructors who can adapt classes for all abilities and help you feel better, fitter, stronger and ready to take on whatever the new year brings.
Book your space on 01246 345555 or pop in and see us at Queen's Park Sports Centre reception for more information.
Couch to 5K
Running regularly can be a great stress reliever and boost your confidence, and has even been shown to combat depression.
But taking up running can seem like a scary prospect, especially if you feel out of shape or unfit. NHS Couch to 5K will help you gradually work up towards running five kilometres in just nine weeks.
Couch to 5K is a running plan for absolute beginners. It works because it starts with a mix of running and walking to gradually build up your fitness and stamina – for example, in week one you’ll be running for just one minute.
You can find out more about Couch to 5K on the NHS website.
Try parkrun at Poolsbrook Country Park
If you’d like to try a free, fun and friendly walk, jog or run in the company of others who will help motivate and inspire you, why not join the weekly Poolsbrook Parkrun?
Three laps of the Poolsbrook Country Park lake would equivalent five kilometres or three miles - but you can start with as few or as many laps as you desire.
All abilities are welcome, with full COVID-19 safety procedures in place. Find out more about Poolsbrook parkrun and how to register on the parkrun website. You can also like their Facebook page.
Get out with the little one on our buggy walks
Looking for something new to do with your little one? Our buggy walks are a great way to meet other parents/carers and at the same time help yourself feel better with some gentle outdoor exercise.
The walking group meets outside reception at Queen’s Park Sports Centre every Friday at 10.30am. There's no need to book, and Covid-19 safety measures are in place.
For more information, call Community Lifestyles Officer Tina Hensey on 01246 345669 or email tina.hensey@chesterfield.gov.uk.
Babies and children attending buggy walks are the responsibility of their parent or carer and must always be under their supervision.
The Big Garden Birdwatch - 28 to 30 January
While walking through your local park, have you ever heard or seen a bird and wondered what is was?
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) hold an annual Big Garden Birdwatch at the end of January - more than a million Brits took part in 2021.
Regardless of your birdwatching knowledge, whether you're an experienced spotter or a complete beginner, there is plenty of guidance you can follow. You can hold your birdwatch in your favourite park or from the comfort of your own private green space. It only takes an hour and by the end of it, hopefully you will spot the differences between a chaffinch and a bullfinch.
The RSPB provide everything you need for your birdwatch when you sign up to their free Big Garden Birdwatch guide.
Look out for winter wildlife
Wrap up warm in those cosy hats and scarves and explore your local woodland. The Woodland Trust has lots of ideas for things to try in winter.
Wildlife Watch also has a list of five things to watch out for this winter. See if you can spot:
- Snowdrops
- Winter wildfowl
- Tracks or footprints in the snow or mud
- A flying flock of starlings
- Holly, ivy and mistletoe
Try growing your own vegetables!
Chesterfield will host its 14th Potato Day on Saturday 29 January.
Did you know there are many different varieties of potato? They all fit into one of three categories: first early, second early and maincrop.
35 varieties were available as a pre-order for this year's Potato Day (now closed), but any surplus stock will be available in the marketplace on 29 January.
You will be able to buy surplus alliums (onions and garlic), legumes (such as peas and beans), green manures and sundries.
You can find out more about Potato Day on the Transition Chesterfield website.
Try an outdoor story time
Take your children’s favourite book with you on your walk, find a bench, tree stump or log and huddle up together to read your story in the fresh air. The sounds and smells of the outdoors can bring your story to life!
Another idea is to give your walk a theme to match a story – why not try take a walk in the woods with We’re Going On a Bear Hunt - try Westwood in Brimington, or search for a local wood on the Woodland Trust website.
