Welcome to 2020, friends! A new decade waiting to be lived, a story unwritten. Isn’t it great??
To be honest, I’m not feeling it at all… Where is my energy? My motivation? My ambition? Where did it all go?? I seem to have left it back in 2019! Putting my Christmas decoration back into its boxes made me sad. I don’t want to hear about resolutions and goals, and neither am I ready to get back into the day-to-day routine.
Good thing is, I seem to be not the only one. There is even a real name for it: Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), or post-holiday depression. For some reason it is comforting to know that I am not the only one having a slow, blue start into the new year.
Holidays are over, family and friends have left the party and all of a sudden the house is silent. Even though this is exactly what we wanted the week before in the middle of celebrations – just to have a minute of peace and quiet for ourselves-, now it makes us feel lonely. After we spent all our money on gifts, food and travel, now all the insurance bills come in, yay…
Days are short and weather bad – where is the sun??? We realise what wishes have remained unfulfilled as we put them on this year’s wish list, again. Honestly, how can you NOT be depressed considering all of that??
If you feel the same as me and thousands of others, just know that it’s okay and totally normal. Yes, maybe even allow yourself to indulge a little bit in the January blues…
Cheer up. Make yourself feel cosy at home and enjoy some guilty pleasures instead of stressing about resolutions. The year is still young and you have plenty of time.
Relax. Take time for yourself, and by that I mean your awareness. Meditate, do yoga, journal, contemplate or whatever is your go-to practice to distance yourself from negative thoughts.
Keep cool. Ignore the pressure from society (aka insta influencers, friends, colleagues etc.) telling you that NOW is the time to make all the big changes and take on all the challenges. The best time to do all of that is when you feel confident and strong, and if that is not now, accept it and give yourself the time to gather the energy you need to make it a success. Changes can be made at any time, you don’t need a new year for it!
Accept the routine. Even though you might not feel like getting out of bed and into the office, you have to. Make the best of it, remember what you love about your job and enjoy these aspects.
Dream. You may not look forward to all the challenges and hurdles the new year will bring, but there are likely some holidays that need planning or other things that you simply can’t wait for. Focus on the positive, fun parts without worrying about the rest.
Don’t take yourself too seriously. You broke your resolution after day 4? So what! Laugh about it and move on to take 2.
Get help. If things are getting a touch too dark and you get the feeling of drowning in the blues, have an open conversation with someone you trust or seek professional help.
Let me know how you’re getting on! If you have any additional advice on how to handle the January blues, do share – I’m grateful for your tips.
Wishing you a truely Happy New Year,
Saby
