Learn Gaelic on Duolingo
Studies have proven that learning a new language actually changes your brain at a physical level. After just one week of practice, you can expect to benefit from improved concentration, a more powerful memory and better creativity when it comes to problem-solving. The Duolingo app is widely thought of as one of the best ways to learn a language – it’s laid out like a game, has an easy-to-follow, reward-based interface, and best of all, it’s completely free to access. And when it comes to choosing your new language, why not give Scottish Gaelic a go? It certainly needs support, with UNESCO classing Gaelic as an endangered language amid fears it eventually may cease to exist. Duolingo added it to their programme in 2019, offering an accessible entry to learning Gaelic beyond ‘fàilte’ and ‘slàinte’. Good luck! (Gun tèid leat!)
Train for an endurance sport challenge
Forget couch to 5k, why not go for something a bit more challenging in 2025? You can train for the hardcore (and slightly mad) 24-hour ultra marathon trail race, Saltire 24, held in Knockburn Loch in Aberdeenshire in June, or the 57km Glasgow to Edinburgh ‘Ultra’ run which takes place in October. For something a little less extreme, you could try the ‘Duathlon’ in Monikie Park in Dundee on Sunday 9 March, encompassing a 21km cycle and two 4km runs. It offers a great way to train in multiple disciplines without committing to the pressure of a triathlon. There’s also an ‘Aquathlon’ in Balloch on Saturday 30 August – involving a 750m swim in Loch Lomond followed by a 5k run along the River Leven.
(Image: Danko Natalya)
Bake your own bread
There’s been a lot of noise on social media about ultra-processed foods (also known as UPFs) and the harm that they are doing to our bodies and minds. Anything that has gone through processing to artificially extend its shelf life, usually with additives and ingredients that you wouldn’t find in a home kitchen, constitutes a UPF. There’s a whole host of negative health effects associated with over-consumption of these types of food, with the most serious including heart disease and increased cancer risk. Ice cream, crisps and ham are obvious culprits, but did you know most mass-produced bread is also considered a UPF? With that in mind, you can easily start making your own, with no need for a bread maker or fancy mixer. Simply combine bread flour with instant yeast, salt, water and a little bit of olive oil, let it rest overnight, then shape it and bake it in a pot in the oven. There’s a full recipe on www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/easy-white-bread
(Image: Elie Sauna)
Try cold water therapy
You may well be fed up of people evangelising about the benefits of cold water therapy. But it does, genuinely, feel wonderful to fight your fears and stick through the discomfort of a freezing dip. There’s lots of ways to get started – with a cold-shower or an ice bath at home, or an organised wild swimming session with one of the many groups that are popping up across the country. Best of all is if you can combine cold and hot together, at a beach sauna like the ones found at Elie or Ardrossan beach. Just make sure to go along with someone and consult your doctor if you have any pre-existing health issues.
Start a gratitude diary
It may sound a bit hippy dippy, but from personal experience, I promise this works. Challenging yourself to finding, and noting down, at least one thing every day to be grateful for is a wonderful way to start appreciating the small things in life. Sure, some days you will write “enjoying a cocktail by the pool on holiday”, but other days you might say “my dog made me laugh” or “the sun came out during a rainy walk”. The dark days of January may seem like the hardest time to start this practice, but it is actually the best way to get into the swing of it.
(Image: Getty Images)
Volunteer at a local charity
The world can, at times, feel like a scary and depressing place. But we can all play a small part in making things a little brighter, even if just for one person. Volunteering is an obvious way to make a positive difference to somebody else’s life, as well as increasing your own sense of satisfaction and self-esteem. Time commitments may prove off-putting, but there are plenty of volunteering opportunities that have flexibility to work around you. You can even volunteer from the comfort of your own home, for as little as half an hour per week, by becoming a ‘telephone befriender’ for Age Scotland and conducting a regular friendship call with a lonely older person. Whatever type of volunteering you are interested in, you’ll find plenty of options at www.volunteer.scot