With all the rush of the holiday season and wedding planning, or maybe the excitement of an engagement, it's easy to let the new year sneak up on you. Don't let the holiday slump get you down - and show yourself a little extra love and care - with these 5 ideas for the best way to start the new year on the right foot.

1. Detox.

Okay, so I don't mean detox, because although I'm a huge fan of green juice, a full-on liquid diet (or any diet, really) sounds kind of like a resolution I'd break in fifteen minutes. However, it can be kind of a relief after a month of increased sugar and alcohol intake to cut back on the sweets and reintroduce fruits and veggies to your life. Especially when you've got your sights set on a wedding dress.

2. Make a resolution.

Again, grain of salt. Personally, I tend to skip New Year's resolutions in favor of making goals year-round, but it's refreshing and invigorating to take some time for personal inventory and pick something to take on in the year to come, whether that's a new outlook on your fitness regimen or a promise to spend more time with the people you love.

3. Give something up.

This is the flip side of making a New Year's resolution. Instead of just taking something on - workouts, planning, health - give something up, too. Get creative (walk away from self-criticism, for example) or stay practical (no more biting your nails, or sleeping through your alarm), but focus on removing something negative from your life even as you think about something positive you want to add into it.

4. Get quality rest.

The whirlwind of holidays, sugar and cocktails can leave you as physically drained as it can emotionally. One of the best ways to combat this is by getting good rest. That definitely means sleep. Rumor has it they call it "beauty sleep" for a reason. Another way is to simply make January a mellow month. Take a break. Read a book...or maybe even a magazine.

5. Focus on what you really want.

A beautiful wedding, Make a list. Or three. Or ten. The point is, take some time at the beginning of the year to figure out what the new year looks like for you - and then make it happen. That new year excitement is just the kind of energy we need here.

Photo credit: Lauren Fair from mywedding