Despite the fact we all got an extra hour in bed this morning, there’s no getting away from the fact we’re now well and truly winter-bound with the return of shorter days and colder nights 
If you seen our ads you'll have seen our strap line - We'll do you proud - so as the sun sets on the majestic events of the summer, we've decided to take the time out to create a guide for ensuring you can beat those winter blues and keep the country's record levels of pride on a high. Read on to find out how ... We recently helped commission a piece of research that found that the country’s feel good factor was riding the crest of a wave this summer with 81% of the nation saying they were proud to be a Brit, and over a quarter saying they feel the proudest they have felt for a decade.
The perfect formula
But before your spirits start to sag, worry not! We've been working with leading psychologist Dr. Cliff Arnall to create a remedy for keeping the nation happy. To create the antidote for the winter blues, Plusnet and Dr. Arnall first discovered what exactly constitutes pride. Using independent research, a series of focus groups and our superfast fibre broadband, we discovered that pride is made up of four elements, which work together: confidence (C); setting goals (G); emotional connection (E) and attitude (A). Emotional connection and attitude must work in conjunction together to get the desired outcome. Most importantly, people need to eradicate feelings of insecurity (I). P = C + G + (E x A) – I That's enough of the maths though, let's take a look at what you have to do in practice ...
Friends and family come first
Now it is the time of year for visiting long distance families, often making long journeys to visit grumpy and critical relatives. Why not do things differently this year and put your immediate family and friends first. Spend more time with them with a relaxed way, rather than a rushed attitude.
Set new goals
Why wait until New Year to make resolutions, why not set yourself three new targets now to achieve over the next year that will give you a good sense of personal pride. Aim for one small thing (e.g. keeping your post in an orderly place, sitting at the table when eating dinner), one medium (e.g. eat 10% less food, go for a hearty walk or run at least once per week) and one big achievement (e.g. quit smoking, save up for a holiday).
Laugh
Think about who or what makes you laugh the most, and make sure you spend more time doing those things with the people who entertain you the most, laughter does wonders for keeping spirits high.
Be bold
Say no to things that make you fundamentally unhappy. Take pride in being who you really are. Develop a ‘have-a-go’ attitude especially when it comes to trying new things. And give yourself permission to say how you feel…without being rude of course.
Be part of your community
Instead of immersing yourself in the lives of people in soaps, immerse yourself in your own community…whether it’s an exercise class or photography group. Alternatively one or two hours working on a community project a week will lift your spirits, expose you to new ideas and new people, boosting your energy levels along the way. antidote to beating the winter blues is a product of a wider independent study, which looked at what constitutes pride, including personal elements such as achievements, and external factors such as popular culture. Eight out of 10 people (80%) say their family members have an impact on making them feel proud. This is closely followed by our own sense of personal achievement such as undertaking challenges like a marathon, which scored 74%. To find out more about what makes the nation pride, have a look at our splendid diagram below: 
Our CEO Jamie, had this to say:
“This year Plusnet changed its strapline to ‘We’ll do you proud’ which – by coincidence – has been a rather fitting move given the events of 2012. While the country has been basking in the glory of all the great events of the summer there’s a real danger that Britain’s spirits will be dampened as we head in to winter. As a company that is committed to making our customers proud of our products we’re glad to be able to offer some advice on how the nation can continue to feel proud and keep their spirits high.
What makes you proud to be British? Have you any tips to share on how to beat those winter blues? Let us know by leaving a comment below ...