So here we are again — January.

It’s a month that looks you squarely in the eye and dares you to try and take it on.

January knows you’ve made your resolutions and encourages you to break them. It’s a month that knows you’ve got no money so it’s even made itself 31 days — rather than friendly February.

Sunday January 4 was a heck of a day. I imagine thousands of you did that thing where you know you have to head back to work the following day — so all mention of Monday was banned.

And I don’t mean just ‘Don’t mention it’, I mean ‘If you say that again, then there will be bother’.

On Monday morning bleary-eyed commuters couldn’t believe it when their alarm went off, couldn’t take in just how dark it was and then there was that sigh.

That one when they plop themselves down on their chair at work and seem to exhale all the good wishes that Christmas and the new year brought.

I admit, there is little to recommend January. I mean Valentine’s Day isn’t for another six weeks and even that is a double-edged sword which tends to end in disappointment for the unlucky majority.

Can you tell I’m not a big fan of the first month of the year?

However in an effort to bring a little light to those murky mornings I’ve compiled five things that mean January isn’t as bad as all that.

First up is the light — yes there isn’t a lot of it, but what there is this is going to get longer and longer.

The winter solstice was on December 21 which means that for a couple of weeks already the nights have been getting that bit shorter.

There’s nothing like those lazy hazy warm summer days which seem to stretch on forever, that feeling of rich green grass between your toes when you slip off your flip flops.

Well that feeling is nearer than it was and will keep getting that bit closer.

Second up is money. Yes I know things are a bit stretched at the minute. Yes I know payday seems distant.

But you’ll get there and when you do, you’ll think maybe I should save a bit.

And you know what, you’re right. If there’s anything that teaches you how to look after something then it’s having nothing.

This time next year you’ll be saying “I’m so glad that I saved a bit more this year.”

Go on, you’ll feel good about yourself in a year.

Thirdly you’ve got lots of things to look forward to this year.

If you’re a Town fan you’ve got the transfer window. If you’re a Giants fan then you’ve got the season just about to start.

If you live in Huddersfield the new leisure centre opens this year — complete with slides (yes, I know it’s not good news for bowlers), you’ve got the food and drink festivals in the area, you’ve got Honley and Emley shows, you’ve got the new Tour de Yorkshire cycle race.

You’ve got Bonfire Night, Festival of Light — you’ve got those bizarre spring days which mean you sweat even though your hands are freezing, you’ve got sitting by a cricket field supping a pint in the summer, you’ve got leaves in Greehead Park in the autumn.

It’s going to be a busy year.

The fourth reason is you. You’re a good person — but you’ve got an opportunity to be an even better one in 2015 — you’ve got a whole year to make it happen!

What do you want to do? Lose weight — you can do it! Get a new job — why not? Help someone out — there are lots of volunteering opportunities out there where you can make your mark — and a difference.

Everything that got put off last year — you could try it this. I know it’s easy to say but don’t make it a resolution — just make it something you will do.

It won’t be easy all the time — but if you can do it in January, then you can do it all year!

The fifth thing? Well when it gets to the end of this month there’s more than 330 days till that dreadful, dark Monday morning back-to-work feeling again — chin up!