5 Ways Overcome The New Year Blues

Thank Allison from The Nutmeg Diaries for writing this excellent guest post on overcoming the New Year Blues. Please make sure to check out her blog.

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Are you feeling down after the excitement of the holidays? Here are some tips and strategies for shaking off the new year blues and embracing a fresh start.

Note: I am not a mental health professional. The information presented in this article should not be used for self-diagnosis or to replace a medical diagnosis from a mental health professional or your primary care physician. The following information is for educational purposes only.

Why do some people hate New Year’s? I’ve always despised the holiday. I don’t think turning a page in a calendar is significant enough to warrant a celebration, but there’s more to it. 

New Year’s is filled with thoughts such as, “I wish I…,” “I should have…,” and “Why didn’t I….” Focus on those thoughts long enough, and you’ve gone down a bottomless and dark rabbit hole. If you are already dealing with depression or other mental health issues, this is magnified. 

I do believe that everyone feels this way on January 1st. The difference is the way people handle those negative thoughts. Combine thoughts of regret with short days and cold weather, and it’s no wonder that people dislike this time of year. But there are ways to make the new year filled with self-improvement, learning, and happiness. So, today, I’m going to share some tips on how you can overcome the New Year blues.

Overcoming New Year Blues

Don’t Make Resolutions.

Don’t make New Year’s Resolutions. Instead, create personal development goals for yourself. We often set goals for ourselves without formally acknowledging that we are doing so. It doesn’t have to be a big goal- anything works. But feeling as if you’re working towards something will help you stay motivated and want to get out of bed on those cold mornings.

Resolutions and goals are similar, but not the same. Especially as I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to hate the word ‘resolution.’ Changing your mindset from resolutions to goals is a straightforward way to help you thrive in the new year. 

Embrace The Cold Weather

Are you a cold-weather fan like me? Or do you prefer the warmer months? Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the day ahead. The holidays are over, and the world can feel oddly ’empty’ in January. But there are still a lot of fun things you can do.

If you’re a snow bunny, spend some time on the slopes with friends. In my book, a day filled with skiing, snowboarding, and sledding is always a win. If you’ve never been, most ski areas have lessons for beginners. If you’d rather stay home, bring your dogs outside and let them roll around in the snow. I love watching my two dogs in the snow- hilarious! At the very least, you’ll get a laugh even if you don’t join them in playtime.

But there’s also plenty to enjoy inside. A cold, snowy day is perfect for a movie marathon and snuggling up for some cozy self-care. So dress up in your favorite warm clothes, grab some hot chocolate, watch movies, or binge-watch your favorite show. Fuzzy socks, sweatshirts, sweatpants, leggings, cozy scarves, and more are all clothing items everyone seems to love. Of course, you can also grab that book you’ve meant to read, journal, and much more. 

Clean & Declutter

Unfortunately, thriving in the new year is easier when you have a clutter-free and organized space. Start with your work area. I’m much more productive when I don’t have random things sitting around.

If I’m feeling ambitious (which is pretty infrequent, I won’t lie), I’ll try to do some decluttering. I always have a bag or two of items I donate or sell online. Decluttering is by no means an easy or fun task, but it is a satisfying one. And, if you can turn clutter into cash, that’s a bonus. 

Plan for the Future

Whenever I feel like nothing good is happening in my life (and that happens a lot), I see what I have coming up on my calendar. My downward spiral will continue if I have nothing to look forward to. 

Even if it’s just meeting a friend for dinner, I try to ensure I have at least one thing to look forward to on my calendar. Knowing that I’ll have some time where I don’t have to focus on being productive or stress myself out does wonders for my mental health. 

But, if you can’t meet in person, schedule a Facetime call with a friend. Give yourself a few hours to chat, vent, or even watch a show together. I always do this with my best friend in Seattle, and we’ve done it for years. 

Celebrate Your Wins

If you’re still feeling down, find a way to celebrate your wins and focus on the positive moments. One thing I enjoy doing is keeping a jar where I record one positive thing from each day. Then, before bed and lights out, I write the best thing that happened that day on a small piece of paper, fold it up, and put it in a jar on my nightstand. It can be as simple as making your favorite dinner. Then, on New Year’s Eve, I like to open the jar and read all my happy moments from the year. I always remember things I forgot about, which is an excellent way to end the year.

Another thing I like to do is take screenshots of any fun text I get from friends. I then add them to my desktop folder to look at them anytime I want. I’ll also add favorite blog comments, comments on social media, or photos.

One Last Thing

Remember that the New Year’s Blues and seasonal depression are only temporary, no matter how you feel. So while a day in mid-January may seem bleak, spring will be here before you know it.