Holiday blues: perspective and hope

Life moves quickly and life is intense. Living our life to the fullest is what I encourage people to do. However, this does not mean “fill your life.” When we find ourselves filling every gap of time we can with something, we are left feeling tired and in true need of a vacation. Add to that the uncertainties of the past year, and if you are taking in the notion of “uncertainty” you will need a break more than ever. But the reality is that January can sometimes be hard and the readjustment to business after a calm period can feel quite overwhelming for some.

So how can you beat the holiday blues and gain perspective to move forward?

1. Realize that it’s REALLY normal to feel holiday blues — let’s start with this one as for me, it’s the most important. Understanding your feelings is a sign of emotional intelligence and is a quality that all of us should work on. It’s totally normal to feel blue when life resumes itself to the normal chaos, especially when you scroll through Instagram and see others STILL on vacation — that’s all they seem to do right? And here you are, working away, in the same chair, at the same desk, drinking from the same coffee cup as last year. Be kind to yourself, allow yourself some time to reflect and let your emotions flow.
2. Listen to your mind and body — when was the last time you listened to that clever brain of yours? Did you listen when it was telling you to rest last year or take time out or did you just wait for your body to force you to do so? After a vacation this spring, I realized, when I totally melted down at the breakfast table, that I needed it more than I knew. Always giving from an empty vessel will not help you reach your true potential. Is it time to make a change and listen to your mind? Plotting a day in the near future for YOU, will give you something to look forward to and a change to refill your “tank” before it completely empties again. If you are giving yourself the opportunity to relax, reflect and enjoy yourself on a regular basis, the holiday blues won’t feel as intense when returning to normality.
3. Incorporate “vacation life” into your everyday — What is it that felt so good about your vacation this year? Was it the food? The extra rest? The catching up with people who you haven’t seen in a long time? Whatever it was that made you feel YOU again — add it into your weekly routine. Some years ago, a client visited Italy and loved the food! Nice, simple food that was to die for. Pasta, Pizza, and cheese — what more could you possibly want? Upon her return, she decided to add an Italian dish into her meal plan each month and with her partner, she relives all the fantastic moments she had there. Not only has it given her a way of reminiscing fabulous times, but also it has forced her to learn new skills and explore more adventurous recipes.
4. Unpack as soon as you get home and do a “spring clean” — we’ve all been there, living out of a suitcase for weeks after a vacation. The feeling of disorganization can leave us feeling overwhelmed, so unpack as soon as you can. Put that suitcase back in the attic ready for next time and have a general cleanup of your space so you can easily locate everything you need when starting back into your routine.

If there’s only one message you take away from here, allow it to be that being kind to yourself is absolutely crucial for getting over the holiday blues. We all get them, you are not alone and this will happen again but with finding ways like above to reduce them as much as we can will help us get set for the year ahead.