Have you been feeling the ‘January blues?’
A similar feeling to the ‘holiday blues’?
Oh yes! Those good old holiday blues; you’ve had an amazing holiday and then all of a sudden it’s over and you’re faced with the reality of work and your everyday routine. Often coming from the sun, sea and beach to a rainy, cloudy or windy scenario waiting for us back home.
‘Wiki’ explains why; ‘… after the person returns home, they realize how boring and unsatisfactory their normal lifestyle routine is when compared to the activities they did while on their holiday/vacation.’
These ‘blues’ are different to SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) which doctors believe relates to the body and its response to sunlight. The holiday blues usually hits us when we’ve experienced a very pleasurable holiday that puts our life into perspective. We come to realise how busy we are and that we want to change things in our lives.
Credit: 123dentist.com
This is what happens in January too. After the build-up of Christmas, the hustle and bustle, the spending, the recuperating, the resting, the eating, the drinking … then we approach the New Year with a new mindset. We go all out with our resolutions; diet, gym, dry january, stop smoking, find a new job, find love, etc. the list is endless.
We put so much pressure on ourselves to achieve it all. I am all things inspiring (read more of my blog posts) but I am realistic too. Often, we expect too much of ourselves, hence the reason statistics show that only 8% of people achieve their New Year resolutions. The remaining 92% find themselves struggling. This can set-off a rollercoaster of emotions, which in turn leads to the ‘January blues’!
So, firstly, as I always say ‘small steps count‘. Take one thing you want to change and work on that. This is the best way to achieve your goals. Even if you’ve fallen into the 92% of people, it’s never too late to start again. Instead of writing yourself a list of unobtainable dreams, take one of those dreams and work on that. Make it your goal to achieve that one thing. Do this for one month, then work on another goal. Break it down and make life easier for yourself.
Doing the above is a great way to beat the January blues, here’s a few other tips that can help pick you up:
GO OUTSIDE
This has to be one of my favourite things to do. I love walking.
Research has proven that nature can improve our m
ental health. It reduces anxiety and depression.
A walk in the hills or along the beach is a great way to shake off the Christmas Cobwebs.
MAKE AN EFFORT TO DO SOMETHING YOU ENJOY
We all have different hobbies; some people like crafts and arts, others like boxsets or reading. Whatever you enjoy doing, do it! Have a day of watching your favourite characters on TV. Read something by your favourite author, or read something inspiring (there are plenty of motivational books out there). Set yourself a project and ensure that you take time out to do it.
ORGANISE / DECLUTTER YOUR HOUSE
Work through every room and discard of anything you don’t use. Be ruthless. If you’ve not used it in the last 6 months, let it go! Bag up old clothes, bin anything that resembles rubbish and give a lick of paint to any room that needs it. The art of decluttering is fantastic for your mental health.
TREAT / PAMPER YOURSELF
The stress of Christmas can leave us feeling a little frazzled. Booking a massage is a great way to start the year. If this is something you’d be interested in, a daily bubble bath is a wonderful way to end the day. You can either lay still and enjoy the quiet or read a book while you soak. Having a bath daily is a wonderful way to distress.
BE GRATEFUL
The ‘blues’ can hit us because we feel we are ‘lacking’ something. This is a great time to write a list of the things you are grateful for. Think deep when it comes to gratitude; appreciation for the water you drink, the roof over your head, to the shoes on your feet. Build up from there and you’ll be surprised where your gratitude list can take you. Keep it with you, by your bed or in a place you will have access to it every day. Every night reflect on your day and add to your list something you are grateful for.
The above things can simply be integrated into your life. They are experiences that will enrich your wellbeing. So, stop being hard on yourself and make the decision today to do something that will move you forward.
If there is an area in your life that you would like to concentrate on see my A-Z of inspirational blogging. The posts include advice, tips, quotes and some include therapeutic writing exercises. Sending you happiness and joy guys!
