Post Christmas holidays and how we cope with our emotions...
...when covid rages on and the days are darker and shorter.
We've done Christmas opened and given our presents and hopefully sticking to our New Year's resolutions.
With the distraction of the holidays over, we are in January when days are darker and shorter and the cold makes us want to hurry home. Covid figures are on the rise, and we are all at risk when we want to do so many things still that we can't take for granted anymore. So much change to our lives.
Coping whilst living within the constraints of covid can be more debilitating than we might imagine and when festivities are over January and February can seem like bleak months, or maybe your Christmas and New Year weren't what you hoped for. Either way, here are some tips to help with those winter post-holiday blues!
How to cope with the post-holiday blues
We need a feel-good hope plan that sails us seamlessly through to lighter longer days when spring can touch our hearts once more with its new shoots and buds on the now naked trees bringing with it that feeling of renewal!
Things to help with low mood that comes from this time of year
Christmas decs might be put away but our fairy lights can still twinkle! I keep them going in my home. Wrap them around a mirror or window frame or maybe on your headboard, or if you have your own house and front door, fairy lights can be woven into a potted plant to greet you as you come home when it is still dark early.
Buy yourself a new mug to have your tea or coffee in, there are some with wonderful slogans on them to inspire you and to keep the cheer going.
When mood is low mornings are the hardest time. Throw on a hat and scarf and warm coat and walk..do get outside, even just around the block. It changes our brain chemistry when low mood occurs and lifts our spirits. Birdsong, seeing trees and nature gives us a sense of belonging and connection.
Plan ahead
Plan something every week to look forward to - something you love and/or buy yourself a treat, like a book or a bunch of flowers or start collecting something. I did this with a dinner service I loved I bought a piece a week. Now it is glasses I collect old crystal glasses. You see your collection growing and it feels like progress. So much of low mood comes from feeling stuck and like things will never change or shift.
If you have a garden or a window sill plant something watch it grow. This also stimulates hope through change and visual progress which evokes a match with our inner emotional landscape.
Watch anything but the news
Try not to watch it as often as right now there is so much focus on what to be afraid of, this fear that is drip-fed to us every day has a more insidious effect than we are aware of we have become accustomed to bad news.
Ask for help
Maybe consider getting a Coach to help with positive change and structure to work towards change that makes a real difference for you. Change comes when change or changes are made and fill us once more with optimism so that we feel more energised..when we change the way we think and what we do, we change the way we feel.
Avoiding rumination
Sad things that you go over and over in your head. Tips for addressing ruminating thoughts often the cause of depression. Distract yourself. When you realise you're starting to ruminate, finding a distraction can break your thought cycle. Question your thoughts. Readjust your life's goals. Try meditation - there are so many wonderful ones on YouTube and they really help. Pick what you think is the problem and hear others share their coping strategies, sometimes even just if you get one tip that helps it is progress, a beginning to feeling less helpless in our mood and outlook.
Worrying and overthinking are part of the human experience, but when left unchecked, they can take a toll on your well being.
As a Bach Flower Practitioner as well being a coach and therapist l prescribe different flowers that help naturally to realign our emotions from negative to positive these work wonderfully well and there are many testimonials of my website which endorse this.
Hoping these tips may help and bring something newly wonderful for you.