The "Holidays" throw a huge wrinkle into the routines that we come to rely upon. This isn't all that surprising.
Depending on how you calculate, the holiday season lasts about a quarter of the year. I calculate it from about Halloween until the real end of the Christmas season on Candlemas, or the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, on February 2. We're amidst general chaos for about three months.
If you recognized up front that twenty-five percent of our life was destined to be chaotic, you'd probably act a bit differently. But nearly every year, the Holidays "sneak up" on us, grab hold, and don't let go for weeks or months at a time.
It throws everything out of whack, thus the first part of the New Year has most folks spinning their tires, trying to get back on track. Eventually we do, but it takes a while. I've talked to several people so far in the New Year who—no matter how hard they try—are struggling to get out of the mud and back in the swing of things.
There's good reason for it: Either way, if you take the holiday season as a continuous movement from Halloween to Candlemas, it is a bear. The holidays are often a whirlwind of activity and emotion involving a busy schedule of shopping, school programs, and get-togethers with friends and family.
There are highs and lows, for sure, but most people are on high-alert all the time. That can take a toll emotionally and even physically.
If you experience an emotional disappointment when the holidays pass, there are specific actions you can take to lift your mood and make it through the emotional let-down after the holidays.
These strategies will boost your spirits and get your New(ish) Year off to a great start:
Take advantage of the extra time you now have. Since the holiday hullabaloo is over, you have some time to reflect. What do you like about your life? What would you like to change?
Think about small goals you’d like to accomplish. Do you want to finally get that hall closet cleaned out? Maybe you can now complete that special project your boss has wanted you to do.
It’s a good time to make a list of all those little tasks you want to get done. Having the list will help you concentrate on your goals. Plus, it’s wonderful to draw a line through an achieved goal.
Meditate about "eating the elephant." You can only eat the entire beast one bite at a time.
Focus on you for a change. Now is the time to hone in on your personal standards and your own goals. Perhaps you want to exercise more or spend more "quality time" with your children. What systems will you put in place that might help in making the changes you seek? Write down the little steps you will take toward achieving your big goals.
Pursue an interest. We’ve all got those interests we hope to “get to” someday. Since you’ve got some down time now, why not go for it? Delve in to that subject you’ve been curious about or start the podcast you've always said you're going to do. (If you want to talk about it, I'll help you get going https://calendly.com/bdoleary77/pod )
If you’re not sure what you’re interested in, do some research. Visit your local library, browse some magazines, or look in the—gasp!—newspaper. You’ll most likely find a couple of topics or activities you’d like to learn more about.
Have a dinner party. Granted, this is what one may call a "comfort challenge," and one I'm certainly not ready for this year. But if you decide on this idea, you’ll have plenty of time to plan and prepare for this event with people you really care about. You will enjoy yourself and your mood will lift.
Renew and refresh your surroundings. Do you feel like re-arranging the furniture in a room or two? Maybe you want to paint the walls or make new curtains. Re-decorating your surroundings is a wonderful way to go in to a new year and banish the holiday blues at the same time.
Re-focusing on your surroundings and thinking about any changes you want to make will help you de-focus from the doldrums.
De-clutter your office. (:raised hand: emoji)
Donate clothing that you know you'll never wear again (no matter how sentimental).
Re-connect with an old friend. There’s something so wonderful about making that call you’ve wanted to make. Hearing your friend’s voice again will bring great joy to your heart. It might be a friend from the old neighborhood, a former college roommate, or a past co-worker you were once great friends with.
If you’re feeling down now that the holidays are behind you, you’ll be amazed at how quickly you’ll begin to rise above those post-holiday blues when you try some of these strategies.
Taking some quality time for yourself during this period can lighten your mood immensely and ignite your excitement about the year ahead.
Want to talk about solutions? We're open to it.
However, I am not into therapy and the reality is that not all people are meant to work together. We do "warp-speed" discovery calls to find out and see if we may be a fit.
If not, no big deal. It's only 15 minutes.
As always,
Brian
