Are you feeling a little down in the dumps after the holidays? Don’t worry; many people experience post holiday blues. It’s natural to feel sad after all the anticipation, fun and festivities. If you spent time with family, it can be difficult to see them leave as you may not know when you will see the again. It’s also a lot more fun to pull out the holiday decorations than to put them away. There are many reasons for the post holiday blues and many ways to cope with them.

Reasons for post holidays blues

Expectations not met

You may have had high hopes as to what the holiday season would bring. Perhaps you didn’t get to do what you wanted for the holidays. Maybe you weren’t able to be with the people you wanted, or someone got sick. Perhaps you had hoped for a specific gift or an engagement ring. There are many reasons why our expectations may not have been met.

Spent too much

Perhaps you had a budget to stick to, or didn’t think about a budget. You may not be able to pay off your bills or accrued credit card debt. It’s easy to overspend; as you want to give those you love plenty of gifts. Moving forward, remember that you are the greatest gift.

Back to the grindstone

Many people take time off during the holidays. You get to sleep in or stay up late. Best of all you get to do what you want. There is a lot of leisure time, fun and festivities. It’s hard to go back to work after the holidays and back into your regular routine.

Overindulgence and the post holiday blues

Perhaps you ate and drank too much over the holidays. You may not feel good about yourself or feel guilty about something you said or did. Maybe you realize that you need to adopt healthier habits and take better care of yourself.

How to get past the host holiday blues

Something to look forward to

There is so much anticipation and excitement about the holidays. Is there something else you can get excited about? Do you have a trip planned for the upcoming year, even if it’s short visit? What about a birthday celebration or other milestone?

If there is nothing you can think of, what about trying a new restaurant in your area? You can also play tourist in your own town. Often time’s people don’t take advantage of the things in their city. Why not Google what to do in your city and see what comes up?

Slowly get back into your old routine

Is it possible to slow things down a bit? For example, if you are travelling for the holidays can you have a day to two off before having to go back to work? Are you able to work a shorter week the first week back? If the transition is less abrupt, perhaps you can ease back into things.

Gratitude for post holiday blues

Ponder the things that went well over the holidays. Sit and relish those moments. You may even want to write about them, so you can savor the memories. Focus on the things that were the most special to you. You can even share those moments with family and friends.

Spend time with people

Often time’s people feel isolated after the holidays. They are with family and friends and feel connected. You can continue that connection with your friends and family, whether it’s through text, Facetime or in person.

If you are feeling lonely or alone, reach out. There is someone who would be happy to hear from you. Make plans to go out to eat, take a walk, or just hang out. Knowing you have that event coming up can get you out of that funk.

Spend time outdoors

Go outside and get some sunshine. Being cooped up indoors can be stifling. Being outdoors whether it is a sunny day or not is good for your mental health. Exposure to natural light can be a mood lifter.

Decrease use of social media

Spending too much time on social media isn’t good for mental health. If you compare yourself to others you will feel bad about yourself. We all know that no ones life is perfect. Yet if we look at social media it gives us the impression that it is. Or you may feel that you don’t look as good as others. You will not win the comparison game. Can you also fathom that someone might think your life looks great from the outside? No one has a perfect life. Trust that yours is good enough.

Therapy for post holiday blues

If you find that it is difficult for you to get past the post holiday blues, perhaps you are struggling with depression, anxiety or seasonal affective disorder. If you are struggling it often helps to have someone to talk to who is not emotionally involved in your situation. Many people find therapy to be helpful. If you want someone to talk to, please give me a call at 713-304-6554.

Take care,

Debbie